What should you know about mucosal malignant melanoma?

The term refers to melanoma in moist lining tissue, including the mouth, nasal passages, genital tract, or anal canal. It may appear as a dark or irregular patch, a sore, a bleeding area, a lump, or a persistent change in function such as blockage or discomfort. Some lesions are not visibly dark. These symptoms can come from conditions other than melanoma; only clinical assessment and examination of tissue can establish the diagnosis. Staging then checks the local tumour and whether it has reached lymph nodes or distant organs.

Book a prompt appointment with the appropriate specialist for a persistent, changing, bleeding, or non-healing mucosal lesion. Bring a list of medicines and describe when the change began. A biopsy is planned around the anatomy, followed by imaging or lymph-node assessment when indicated. Depending on the findings, care may include surgical excision, skin cancer surgery, tumour removal surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy, or immunotherapy. Follow-up after cancer treatment supports surveillance and management of treatment effects.

Do not wait for a routine visit if bleeding is heavy or persistent, swallowing or breathing becomes difficult, pain escalates quickly, or a lesion enlarges noticeably. Emergency help is needed for sudden weakness, confusion, severe headache, or new vision problems. These symptoms can have multiple causes, but they require immediate assessment.

What part of the mucosa is involved, and what biopsy is safest there? What do the pathology and scans show about stage? Could lymph-node sampling help? Which treatment options are being considered, and how will follow-up be organised?