This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

A Clinicopathologic Study of 13 Cases in Japanese Patients

Taizo Kato, MD; Hideaki Takematsu, MD; Yasushi Tomita, MD; Masaaki Takahashi, MD; Rikiya Abe, MD

Arch Dermatol. 1987;123(2):216-220.

Abstract
• We found 13 mucosal melanomas (13%) among 103 cases of malignant melanoma at Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan, a high incidence. Five melanomas were found on the oral mucosa, another five on the genital mucosa, two within the nasal cavity, and one on the esophagus. Three of the melanomas on the oral mucosa occurred on the lip and the other two on the gingiva. A striking prevalence of melanomas was observed in women, the male-to-female ratio being 0.08. Histologic examination revealed that 58% of the melanomas were characterized by lentiginous, 23% by nodular, and 15% by superficial spreading proliferation. Most of the melanomas were Clark's level IV or V at the time of diagnosis. Except for three who have been under observation for a short time, all the patients have died. There appear to be some clinical and histologic similarities between mucosal melanoma and melanoma of the volar skin, but the difference in biological behavior warrants that the two be classified separately.

(Arch Dermatol 1987;123:216-220)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Dermatology, Tohoku University School of Medicine (Drs Kato, Takematsu, and Tomita) and Tohoku Rosai Hospital (Dr Takahashi), Sendai, Japan; and the Department of Second Surgery, Fukushima Medical College (Dr Abe), Fukushima, Japan.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication June 11, 1986.

Reprint requests to Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryomachi, Sendai 980, Japan (Dr Kato).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Angioarchitecture of Primary Oral Malignant Melanomas
Lee et al.
J. Histochem. Cytochem. 2002;50:1555-1562.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Esophagus
Joob et al.
Ann. Thorac. Surg. 1995;60:217-222.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Mucosal Melanoma of the Head and Neck
Hoyt et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1989;115:1096-1099.
ABSTRACT