It occurs more often in Japanese, Africans and less frequently in Caucasians. Cutaneous and mucosal melanomas result from malignant proliferation of melanocytes which originate in the embryonal neural crest.
Male mortality exceeds female mortality.
In Northern Europe the mortality rate is 4 to 6 times higher than in Mediterranean countries, including Greece and Portugal. Statistical studies have shown good evidence that the increase in the incidence of cutaneous MM is a result of intermittent recreational sun exposure. This is not the case for OMM because the majority of them occur in the palate and maxillary gingiva, and less frequently in the buccal mucosa, mandibular gingiva, lips, tongue and floor of the mouth. Intraoral melanocytic nevi are also more common in the palate. Treatment of choice is surgery followed by radiation.