Treatment and prognosis in sinonasal mucosal melanoma: A retrospective analysis of 65 patients from a single cancer center.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome in sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SMM).

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of clinicopathological data from January 1976 to December 2005 was performed. Survival curve, univariate, and multivariate analyses were undertaken.

RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients with SMM were enrolled; 3 patients refused treatment. The 3-year and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates in the remaining 65 cases of SMM were 36.5% and 29.7%, respectively. Patients who underwent surgery had better 3-year and 5-year OS rates than those treated without surgery (40.7% and 34.1% vs 21.4% and 14.3%, respectively), and the same was true for patients treated with and without biotherapy (58.2% and 50.9% vs 30.0% and 23.4%, respectively). Distant metastasis at presentation was associated with a worse prognosis. Those patients managed with multimodality treatment had better OS rates.

CONCLUSION: The prognosis in SMM is poor, particularly for those with distant metastasis or without surgery. Multimodality treatment may improve survival.