Mucosal Melanomas of the Anogenital Tract

Primary anogenital mucosal melanomas (AGMs) are rare aggressive malignancies that are typically diagnosed at an advanced stage. Ulceration is a common feature in AGMs and may not correlate with outcome. Therefore, staging of AGMs similar to primary cutaneous melanomas, based on tumor thickness and ulceration, may not robustly predict outcome. Derivation of site-specific staging systems is essential for prognostication and optimal management of these patients. To this end, recent retrospective studies have revealed tumor thickness (TT) and mitotic rate (MR) as features of most prognostic significance as follows: in anorectal (TT only) and vulvar (TT and MR) melanomas.