Oral malignant melanoma associated with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia. Report of a case.

Background: Pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia (PEH), a histological mimic of squamous cell carcinoma, is an exuberant reactive epithelial proliferation that may be induced by a variety of infectious, traumatic, inflammatory and neoplastic conditions of the skin and mucous membranes. PEH has been described in association with Spitz nevi and intramucosal nevi but not with oral malignant melanoma. Methods and results: A case of PEH in malignant melanoma of the palate in a 46-year-old female patient has been described. A search of the English literature did not disclose any previously reported case of such event. Conclusions: PEH associated with oral malignant melanoma is apparently very rare and most likely originates from the surface epithelium. This is in contrast with PEH in cutaneous melanoma where follicular or eccrine units have been suggested to be the origin.