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Surgery in recurrent malignant melanoma
Author(s) -
Karakousis Constantine P.,
Moore Robert,
Holyoke Edward D.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19831001)52:7<1342::aid-cncr2820520733>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - medicine , melanoma , surgery , stage (stratigraphy) , chemotherapy , disease , paleontology , cancer research , biology
Seventy‐nine consecutive patients with resectable, recurrent malignant melanoma were treated with surgical excision, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Of 7 Stage IIIA patients, 6 remain alive; 5 are disease‐free at 27 months. Of 33 patients with advanced stage IIIB disease with fixed tumor masses, including 16 cases that involved two nodal groups, 10 patients (30%) remain disease‐free at 30 months. Of 12 Stage IIIAB patients, one remains disease‐free at 26 months. Of 27 Stage IV patients, 7 (25%) remain disease‐free at 36 months. Characteristic of those patients who remain disease‐free is the initial presence of 3 or less discrete metastatic lesions, and a long prior disease‐free interval. Surgical removal of metastatic lesions of malignant melanoma, in combination with chemotherapy, offers improved palliation in patients with a small number of metastatic lesions and a long previous disease‐free interval.