MELANOMA OF THE NOSE

Background Melanoma of the nose is rare and management guidelines are poorly defined. In the past, excision margins have often been much nar rower than for melanoma elsewhere. Methods The study was a retrospecti ve clinicopathological study of 34 patients with cutaneous melanoma of the nose treated in a single unit. Results Desmoplastic neurotropic m elanoma and lentigo maligna melanoma were the most common histological tumour types. Local recurrence occurred in eight patients, and in six cases appeared to be a result of inadequate excision margins. Regiona l lymph node metastases were associated with a very poor prognosis. Co nclusion Adequate surgical excision is the mainstay of successful trea tment for melanoma of the nose. Excision margins for nasal melanoma sh ould not be any less than for melanoma elsewhere. Careful planning is required, not only to gain local disease control and the best chance o f cure, but also to achieve functionally and aesthetically acceptable results. Excision margins need not be compromised in view of the varie ty of local flaps that can be employed to close the primary defect.