Primary reconstruction of cheek defect following excision of a large malignant melanoma: Report of a case.

A large malignant melanoma of the cheek with metastasis to a submandibular lymph node is described. The tumor was successfully treated by surgical excision and radical neck dissection followed by immunotherapy with intradermal injections of CWS (cell wall skeleton) of noocardia. The cheek and upper lip defects following tumor excision were reconstructed primarily by upward rotation of the cheek and neck skin flap and by lateral advancement of a full-thickness upper lip flap. The oral defect was closed by stretching the distal based mucosal flap from the lower half of the buccal mucosa.