Melanoma arising within the parotid salivary gland--a case report and review of management.

Melanoma arising within the parotid salivary gland is an unusual, though well-recognized phenomenon. Melanocytes are derived, embryologically, from neural crest tissue and are not a constituent of normal salivary tissue. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that a melanoma within the parotid has arisen either as a metastasis to a parotid lymph node or as a metastasis to the gland itself. The primary lesion cannot always be identified--spontaneous regression of melanomas is an equally well-recognized phenomenon. This is a report of such a case, with a review of the management.