This article is an answer to the Case – Nonpainful Discoloration of the Maxillary Gingiva
Intraoral examination showed areas of the gingiva that were black. The lesion was a pigmented macule, 1.5 cm by 4 cm in greatest dimension, with asymmetric and irregular borders and colors.
Histopathological examination revealed an infiltrating lentiginous melanoma.
Oral melanoma is a rare neoplasm. Exposure to the sun is clearly linked to cutaneous melanoma but is not clearly associated with oral melanoma.
The patient underwent partial maxillectomy with 2-cm margins, but he declined adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. No pathologic lymph nodes were found. At follow-up 6 months after surgery, there were no signs of tumor recurrence.
