Sinonasal mucosal melanoma: retrospective survival study of 25 patients

Objective: To determine potential prognostic factors for survival in patients with mucosal malignant melanoma of the sinonasal tract. Methods: Patients managed between 1991 and 2008 were assessed retrospectively. The seventh edition Union for International Cancer Control (7th UICC) tumour-node-metastasis classification was used for tumour staging. Kaplan-Meier and log rank tests were used for survival analysis. Results: Twenty-five patients were studied (six were tumour stage three, eight tumour stage four(a) and 11 tumour stage four(b)). Surgery was performed on 23 patients (92 per cent). Fifteen received post-operative radiotherapy. Mean follow up was 31.3 months (range, two to 99 months). Three-year disease-free survival was improved in patients with stage four tumour arising from the nasal fossa, versus other sites, and in those with stage four tumour treated with surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy, versus other treatments. Conclusion: Patients with melanoma of the nasal cavity have very poor survival rates. Treatment is still based on adequate surgical resection with safe margins. In this study, post-operative radiotherapy improved local control only for stage four tumours.