Mucosal melanomas of the nose and paranasal sinuses are rare tumours (
2.4-4% of all malignancies in this area) with a poor prognosis. The in
creasing number of cutaneous melanomas during the last decades gave ri
se to determine the occurrence of mucosal melanomas of the nose and pa
ranasal sinuses in our department between 1987-92. During this time, 6
patients with malignant melanoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses we
re seen in our department, representing 11 % of all patients (55) with
malignant tumours in this region. In five cases surgery was performed
(with two patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy); one patient
was treated primarily with irradiation. The mean survival time was on
ly 19 months, which - from the authors' point of view - was mainly due
to the extension of the tumours. The findings of this study might ind
icate an increase of malignant melanomas of the nose and paranasal sin
uses; however, the number of patients is too small for a final stateme
nt on this matter.