OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the association between clinical and pathological characteristics of primary oral mucosal malignant melanoma and the prognosis of this disease.

METHODSClinical and pathological characters of 73 cases primary oral mucosal malignant melanoma were investigated. The association between risk factors, such as black macule, lymph node metastases, invasive depth, clinic stages, pathologic types, and prognosis was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log rank test.

RESULTSThe age of the patients ranged from 24 to 80 years (Median age, 50). Among the patients, 43 were males and 30 were females. The most common locations of the tumor were palate and gingiva. The clinic stages of these patients were as the following: Stage I (46/73), Stage II (24/73), Stage III (3/73). The most common pathological type was nodular (44/73), followed by lentiginose malignant melanoma (15/73) and superficial spreading (1/73). According to the configuration of tumor cells, the most common type was the mixed cell type (37/73), followed by the epitheloid cell type (27/73) and the spindle cell type (9/73). Among the 73 patients, 43 were followed up, the 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 19.86% and 11.91% respectively. Black macule, lymph node metastases, invasive depth, clinic stages, pathologic types and therapeutic methods were significantly associated with the prognosis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe prognosis of the primary oral mucosal malignant melanoma is associated with black macule, lymph node metastases, invasive depth, clinic stages, pathologic types, and therapeutic methods.