Metastasis to the oral cavity from cutaneous melanoma is rare: fewer than 3
0 cases of metastatic melanoma to the palatine tonsil have been reported. T
onsil metastasis is haematogenously disseminated and therefore usually has
a poor prognosis. We present a case of metastatic melanoma to the palatine
tonsil occurring 61/2 years after removal of the primary cutaneous lesion.
The patient has remained disease-free for 18 months since the removal of sk
in and tonsil metastases. Immunohistopathologically, HLA class II and costi
mulatory factor B7-2 molecules were concomitantly expressed on melanoma cel
ls: we suggest that the patient was therefore able to develop antimelanoma
T-cell activation resulting in prevention of further metastasis, and thus a
favourable prognosis.