ORAL MELANOMA

Course overview

MELANOCYTES ARISE FROM NEURAL CREST CELLS AND ARE USUALLY FOUND IN THE SKIN. HOWEVER, MELANOCYTES ARE ALSO FOUND IN MUCOSAL MEMBRANES. MELANOCYTES IN MUCOSAL MEMBRANES ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE ORAL CAVITY, NASAL CAVITY, PARANASAL SINUSES, ESOPHAGUS, LARYNX, VAGINA, CERVIX, RECTUM, AND ANUS. MELANOMA RESULTS FROM A MALIGNANT CHANGE OF MELANOCYTES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, AND DIAGNOSIS OF ORAL MELANOMA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.