ORAL MALIGNANT-MELANOMA TREATED WITH MOHS MICROGRAPHIC SURGERY BY FIXED-TISSUE TECHNIQUE

We describe a 77-year-old man with stage III oral malignant melanoma ( Breslow thickness, 4.0 mm) treated with Mohs micrographic surgery by f ixed-tissue technique, elective lymph node dissection, and postoperati ve radiation therapy. This treatment plan permitted complete excision of the melanomatous field, sparing the need for radical resection. Alt hough the patient later died of widespread metastases, there was no ev idence of local or regional recurrence and his quality of life was pre served. We believe that Mohs micrographic surgery by fixed-tissue tech nique followed by radiation therapy offers a safe and alternative trea tment option for deep melanomas in the oral cavity.