Melanoma with cartilaginous differentiation originating within the mucosa of the nasal cavity

Mucosal melanomas are uncommon in comparison to their counterpart on the skin, accounting for approximately 1% of all such tumors. The majority of mucosal melanomas arise within the head and neck region. Osteocartilaginous differentiation in these tumors is a rare phenomenon and can pose diagnostic challenges. Herein we report a case of melanoma with cartilaginous differentiation originating in the nasal cavity of a 76-year-old male, presenting dramatically as a large mass projecting well beyond the vestibule of the right naris. To our knowledge, this case represents the fifth example of a melanoma with bone and/or cartilage differentiation to arise in the head and neck region, and the third to be reported in the nasal cavity.