Oral Mucous Membrane

The occurrence of Hutchinson’s melanotic freckle in the floor of the mouth is reported in a patient who had previously undergone a partial resection of the mandible for melanoma arising in the labial alveolar mucosa. The present case appears to be the fourth reported instance of a melanotic freckle of oral mucosa. I n 2 of the 3 previously published reports, the morphological features were not illustrated or described. I n the third, a black-brown pigmented area had been present for many years and was followed by the development of melanoma in the same area. I n the case histories of several of the reports of intra-oraI melanoma reviewed by the authors, it was stated that mucosal pigmentation had been present for a considerable period of time before the melanoma developed. This suggests the possibility that Hutchinson’s melanotic freckle may have been present but not recognized.