Oral melanoma on the cheek: what to know

Melanoma is a cancer of pigment-producing cells. In the mouth, it may appear as a brown, black, grey, red, or unevenly coloured area on the inner cheek. The condition can present with a painless mark, thickening, bleeding, ulceration, looseness of nearby teeth, or a lump; these features do not establish the diagnosis. A dentist, oral medicine clinician, or doctor can inspect the area and arrange a biopsy. The sample is examined to distinguish melanoma from trauma, pigmentation, infection, or another mouth condition.

Arrange an in-person assessment promptly, especially if the cheek change is new, enlarging, irregular, or bleeding. Photographing it for your own comparison and noting when it began can help, but do not scrape, burn, or repeatedly injure the area. Assessment may include examination of the mouth and neck, a biopsy, and scans when staging is needed. Treatment depends on the biopsy findings and spread; options may include Surgical Excision, Skin Cancer Surgery, Tumour Removal Surgery, or Immunotherapy.

Seek prompt clinical care for a changing or persistent dark cheek patch, unexplained bleeding, an ulcer that does not heal, increasing pain, facial swelling, difficulty chewing, or a neck lump. Seek urgent help if swelling affects breathing or swallowing, or if bleeding will not stop with gentle pressure. A symptom alone does not diagnose melanoma, but delay can allow a serious lesion to progress.

Ask whether the lesion needs a biopsy, what other diagnoses are being considered, whether the neck needs examination or imaging, and how results will guide treatment. You can also ask whether Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy is relevant and what follow-up will involve.