[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary nasal mucosal melanoma--a report of 44 cases].

Background & Objective: Primary mucosal malignant melanoma of the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, and nasopharynx is rare and current research data of this disease are mainly from western populations. This study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of this disease and prognositic factors.

Methods: From Jan. 1971 to Jul. 2005, 66 patients with primary nasal mucosal melanoma were treated in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, China. Demographics and baseline characteristics, treatments, recurrence, metastasis, and survival were documented in hospital records. All records of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rate; Cox model was used to analyze prognostic factors.

Results: Among 44 evaluable cases, 37 were originated from the nasal cavity, 5 from the paranasal sinuses, and 2 from the nasopharynx. Cervical lymphadenopathy at initial presentation occurred in 12 patients. Of the 31 patients received operation-dominated treatment, 8 received adjuvant radiotherapy, 13 received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 6 received adjuvant non-specific immunotherapy. The median time of follow-up was 29 months. Local recurrence, cervical lymphadenopathy, and distant metastasis occurred in 24, 10, and 11 patients, respectively, during follow-up. The median survival time was 24 months and the 5-year survival time was 25%. Clinical stage affected prognosis, whereas age, gender, site, primary tumor mass, and adjuvant therapy were not correlated to survival status.

Conclusion: Nasal mucosal melanoma has high incidence of local recurrence and distant metastasis, especially cervical lymphadenopathy. Clinical stage affects the prognosis.