Malignant melanoma of the oral cavity--an increasing clinical diagnosis?

Oral malignant melanoma is fortunately a rare lesion. However the actual incidence in the population at present is unknown but may be increasing. The overall prognosis remains poor despite more radical surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The clinical presentation of oral malignant melanoma can vary widely from a typically pigmented macular or proliferative lesion to a non-pigmented soft vascular tumour; single or multiple, primary or metastatic. Our experience of five patients with malignant melanoma of the oral cavity is presented and the management of such lesions discussed.