Recurrent Mucosal Melanoma: Clinical Complexities and Socioeconomic Barriers Ishita Gupta Kaushal, Arshdeep Singh, Le Yen Ly Nguyen, Pragti Garg, Raziullah Riaz, Ajaybir Singh Buttar, Chandan Sona Bevara,Youngsang You, Ansa Ali, Onkardeep Kaur, Aparna Malireddi, Ratesh Khillan MD

Background Mucosal melanoma of the oral cavity (MMO) constitutes less than 1% of all melanomas. The majority of MMO occur in upper alveolus and hard palate (70%) followed by lower alveolus. The etiology, risk factors and pathogenesis for MMO are poorly understood. Patients with MMO can present with bleeding, local discoloration, facial pain, ulceration, with localized swelling being the most common. Due to the diversity of initial symptoms and histological pleomorphism, immunohistochemical staining is crucial to confirm the diagnosis. Mucosal melanoma (MM) has a very poor prognosis and most patients develop incurable metastatic disease, irrespective of surgical excision. Due to poor prognosis, staging starts from T3 for lesions confined to mucosa and adjacent soft tissue and T4 for moderately advanced and very advanced lesions, as recommended in 8th edition of AJCC. For tumors limited to mucosa, NCCN recommends postoperative radiotherapy within 6 weeks of resection with consideration for systemic therapy. In this study, we present a unique case of a 64-year-old Hispanic female with multiple recurrences of MMO.

Case presentation A 64-year-old Hispanic female presented to our clinic with a possible recurrence of malignant melanoma of hard palate. It started as an irregularly shaped discoloration of gums and the hard palate. She underwent 3 surgical resections in her home country. Adjuvant chemo and radiotherapy were recommended, which proved to be financially challenging. On presentation to our clinic, she had a tender bluish patch approximately 1 cm in diameter with ulcers on hard palate and a soft bluish bumpy left upper gum lesion approximately 1 cm in diameter, which bled on touching. Following the punch biopsies and various radiographic studies, left maxillectomy was done, the pathology report and immunohistochemistry of which confirmed stage ypT3N0 residual malignant melanoma. Again, patient could not undergo adjuvant chemo and radiotherapy due to financial constraints.

Discussion Due to the condition’s rarity, rapid progression, and hence delayed diagnosis and poor prognosis, it is essential to complete the treatment regimen, which includes surgical resection followed by chemo and radiotherapy. This case shows the inequitable distribution of medical resources in patients with low socioeconomic status. The lack of medical insurance can hinder patient care in basic cancer treatment like surgery and radiotherapy. This issue is of even greater relevance in the treatment of cancer which is rapidly debilitating and fatal. Even in instances of potentially curable cancers, socioeconomic status, lack of available therapies and cultural stereotypes can impede treatment.