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Mucosal Melanoma Treatment

Treating mucosal melanoma can be complex. Unlike skin melanoma, there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment plan. Options depend on the tumor’s size, location, and how far it has spread. Because this is a rare type of melanoma, it’s important to work with a care team that has experience treating it. 

 

You can use the MRF’s Treatment Center Finder to help locate specialists near you. 

Mucosal Melanoma

First Steps in Treatment

For many patients, surgery is often considered as a possible first treatment approach, especially when the tumor can be completely removed. However, there may be advantages to considering other treatments first, such as systemic therapy. In addition, sometimes, surgery may not be possible due to the tumor’s location or stage, and other treatments may be recommended instead or in combination. 

 

Other treatments that may be considered include: 

  • Immunotherapy using FDA-approved drugs like pembrolizumab or ipilimumab 
  • Radiation therapy, which may help shrink or control the tumor 
  • Targeted therapy, if certain gene mutations are present 
  • Clinical trials, which may offer access to new treatment combinations not yet widely available 

Clinical trials can be especially important for people with mucosal melanoma, as researchers are actively exploring new and promising treatment options. If you’re interested, you can review current clinical trials and talk with your care team about what might be a good fit for you. 

 

To get started, visit the MRF’s Clinical Trial Finder to explore available trials and connect with a trusted clinical trial navigator who can help guide you through the process. 

Mucosal Melanoma

Why Mucosal Melanoma Treatment Is Challenging

Because mucosal melanoma is so rare, treatment is not as standardized as it is for other types of melanoma. This can lead to uncertainty about the best approach, and it’s one reason why finding a knowledgeable team is so important. 

 

In 2022, the MRF brought together doctors, researchers, and patients for a meeting focused entirely on mucosal melanoma. The goal was to better understand the challenges, share research updates, and strengthen collaboration. You can read more about this meeting in a recent publication in Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research here. 

Genetic Mutations in Mucosal Melanoma


Some mucosal melanomas are linked to changes (mutations) in certain genes. Knowing whether your tumor has one of these mutations can help your care team decide if targeted therapy might be helpful. 

Common mutations seen in mucosal melanoma include: 

KIT mutations, in particular, are more frequent in mucosal melanoma than in cutaneous melanoma. Some patients with KIT mutations may respond to targeted therapies such as imatinib, which has shown benefit in clinical studies but is not currently FDA-approved for this use outside of trials. 

Testing for mutations is usually done through a biopsy and molecular testing. If you haven’t had this done, ask your doctor whether it might be helpful. 

Research in Mucosal Melanoma

Because mucosal melanoma is rare, continued research is essential. The MRF actively funds promising studies on rare melanoma subtypes, including mucosal melanoma, with the goal of finding more effective treatments and improving patient outcomes. 

If you’re interested in clinical trials, ask your doctor if you’re eligible for any currently enrolling studies. Clinical trials may provide access to new immunotherapies, targeted drugs, or combination approaches that are still being studied. 

Search clinical trials for mucosal melanoma at the Melanoma Research Foundation’s Clinical Trials Finder.  

This content is based on peer-reviewed research and trusted patient education materials, including Therapeutic Approaches to Mucosal Melanoma (PubMed, 2023), insights from the MRF’s 2022 Mucosal Melanoma Meeting, and resources from respected institutions like the Cleveland Clinic and Cancer Treatment Centers of America.