Immunotherapy in patients with mucosal melanomas has in general not improved survival or local-regional control rates. Average time of first local recurrence for OMM has been reported to be 9 to 12 months and metastases are diagnosed within 3 months after recurrence. Average survival rate after metastasis is 6 months. This is an example of gingival melanoma. Note the multiple foci of this malignant neoplasm.
Melanomas bleed easily and grow very rapidly.
This 50 year-old male had several metastases to his cervical lymph nodes. Some intraoral melanomas can be amelanotic in which case the diagnosis is not as obvious as here. Intraoral classic KS is extremely rare, the examples presented here were observed in AIDS patients. The color of the gingival KS in either of its two forms can vary from a reddish-blue hue to a deep cyanotic blue color. Large gingival KS may interfere with speech and mastication and profuse bleeding is a frequent finding especially in the hyperplastic generalized variety.