Surgical management of distant melanoma metastases

Disseminated melanoma remains a tumour that is poorly responsive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, this review demonstrates that surgical removal of visceral metastases such as at the, lung or digestive sites, as well as the brain, yields consistent median survivals, often longer than 12 months, and long-term survivors. Such surgery is followed by little complication cost and low perioperative mortality. Our experience tends to confirm that complete debulking offers longer survivors as compared to partial. Also, one site of metastases, whatever its anatomical location, when operated on, gives a better chance for survival than when there are multiple sites.