eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Diseases of the Oral Mucosa

Oral Melanoacanthoma: Follow-up

Author: Talib Najjar, DMD, MDS, PhD, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Coauthor(s): Thomas A Chiodo, DDS, Staff Dentist, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Private Practice, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Nathan Wuebbels, DMD, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey, University Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Oct 6, 2008

Follow-up

Complications

  • No evidence of malignant transformation has been reported.
  • No complications arise from incisional or excisional biopsy.

Prognosis

  • Initially, cutaneous lesions were suspected to be malignant, and subsequently, the lesions were linked to a transformation to low-grade malignancy.
    • Malignant transformation has been reported in at least 2 cases.
    • However, most lesions are considered benign and should be treated conservatively.
  • No cases of recurrence or metastasis have been reported in either the mucosal variant or cutaneous variant.
  • A low risk of recurrence exists.
  • To date no malignant oral melanoacanthoma have been reported.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Melanoacanthoma is a benign lesion with little legal impact; however, the clinical and morphologic differential diagnosis is essential to rule out malignant melanoma.23 Melanoma is a fatal lesion with clear medical and legal consequences.
 


More on Oral Melanoacanthoma

Overview: Oral Melanoacanthoma
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Oral Melanoacanthoma
Treatment & Medication: Oral Melanoacanthoma
Follow-up: Oral Melanoacanthoma
Multimedia: Oral Melanoacanthoma
References
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References

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  2. Wright JM, Binnie WH, Byrd DL, Dunsworth AR. Intraoral melanoacanthoma. J Periodontol. Feb 1983;54(2):107-11. [Medline].

  3. Goode RK, Crawford BE, Callihan MD, Neville BW. Oral melanoacanthoma. Review of the literature and report of ten cases. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. Dec 1983;56(6):622-8. [Medline].

  4. Horlick HP, Walther RR, Zegarelli DJ, Silvers DN, Eliezri YD. Mucosal melanotic macule, reactive type: a simulation of melanoma. J Am Acad Dermatol. Nov 1988;19(5 Pt 1):786-91. [Medline].

  5. Contreras E, Carlos R. Oral melanoacanthosis (melanoachantoma): report of a case and review of the literature. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. Jan-Feb 2005;10(1):11-2; 9-11. [Medline].

  6. Fornatora ML, Reich RF, Haber S, Solomon F, Freedman PD. Oral melanoacanthoma: a report of 10 cases, review of the literature, and immunohistochemical analysis for HMB-45 reactivity. Am J Dermatopathol. Feb 2003;25(1):12-5. [Medline].

  7. Frey VM, Lambert WC, Seldin RD, Schneider LC, Mesa ML. Intraoral melanoacanthoma. J Surg Oncol. Oct 1984;27(2):93-6. [Medline].

  8. Carlos-Bregni R, Contreras E, Netto AC, Mosqueda-Taylor A, Vargas PA, Jorge J, et al. Oral melanoacanthoma and oral melanotic macule: a report of 8 cases, review of the literature, and immunohistochemical analysis. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. Sep 1 2007;12(5):E374-9. [Medline].

  9. Tomich CE, Zunt SL. Melanoacanthosis (melanoacanthoma) of the oral mucosa. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. Mar 1990;16(3):231-6. [Medline].

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  11. Chandler K, Chaudhry Z, Kumar N, Barrett AW, Porter SR. Melanocanthoma: a rare cause of oral hyperpigmentation. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. Nov 1997;84(5):492-4. [Medline].

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  14. Sexton FM, Maize JC. Melanotic macules and melanoacanthomas of the lip. A comparative study with census of the basal melanocyte population. Am J Dermatopathol. Oct 1987;9(5):438-44. [Medline].

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  17. Buchner A, Merrell PW, Carpenter WM. Relative frequency of solitary melanocytic lesions of the oral mucosa. J Oral Pathol Med. Oct 2004;33(9):550-7. [Medline].

  18. Lambert WC, Lambert MW, Mesa ML, Schnieder LC, Fischman GJ, Abbey AH, et al. Melanoacanthoma and related disorders. Simulants of acral-lentiginous (P-P-S-M) melanoma. Int J Dermatol. Oct 1987;26(8):508-10. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

oral melanoacanthoma, melanoacanthoma, mucosal melanoacanthoma, mucosal lesions, cutaneous melanoacanthoma, pigmented seborrheic keratosis, melanocyte and keratinocyte proliferation, pigmented macular lesions, benign nonovoid melanoepithelioma

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Talib Najjar, DMD, MDS, PhD, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Thomas A Chiodo, DDS, Staff Dentist, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Private Practice, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Thomas A Chiodo, DDS is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and American Dental Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Nathan Wuebbels, DMD, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey, University Hospital
Nathan Wuebbels, DMD, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Dental Association, and American Student Dental Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Neil Shear, MD, Professor and Chief of Dermatology, Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Pharmacology, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine; Head of Dermatology, Sunnybrook Women's College Health Sciences Center and Women's College Hospital, Canada
Neil Shear, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Canadian Dermatology Association, Canadian Medical Association, Ontario Medical Association, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Michael J Wells, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Jeffrey J Miller, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Glen H Crawford, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief, Division of Dermatology, The Pennsylvania Hospital
Glen H Crawford, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society of USAF Flight Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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