SURGICAL TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT-MELANOMA

Early and adequate surgical intervention may have a favorable effect on the course of malignant melanoma (m.m.). Despite the focused publicity given to problems relating to m.m., faulty nonradical excisions of suspected pigmented lesions are still performed frequently in surgical outpatient departments. One of the reasons may be the difficult clinical diagnosis due to pleiomorphism of m.m., but a lack of experience of certain physicians is also responsible. The effective course to pursue in these patients was indicated. On the evidence of 48 patients operated on, radical reexcision of the scar with its wide vicinity, following nonradical intervention, was justified. In certain cases, it may affect eventual dissemination of tumor cells in the close vicinity of the scar after inadequate excision. Indications for radical reexcision were presented.