Incidence and outcome of head and neck mucosal melanoma a population-based survey from Northern Finland

Objectives. To characterize incidence, clinical characteristics and outcome of head and neck mucosal melanoma in a recent, population-based patient series. Study design. Retrospective survey. Methods. A population-based, descriptive study with patients diagnosed in Northern Finland between 1983 and 2001. Age-adjusted incidence rates standardised to the world population and 2-, 5-and 10-year survival rates were calculated. Results. Sixteen patients were identified, yielding an age-adjusted incidence rate of 0.08 per 100 000 per year. Almost 90% of the patients presented with localized (stage I) disease. Despite that, 13 patients died during the follow-up, 10 of them because of melanoma. The median survival time after diagnosis was 46 months. Five-year actuarial survival rate was 37% and the 5-year disease-specific survival rate 56%. Conclusions. Prognosis of head and neck mucosal melanoma remains poor, despite favourable stage distribution at presentation. (Int J Circumpolar Health 2006;65(5):443-447.)