Locoregional cutaneous metastases of malignant melanoma and their management

The correct classification of locoregional metastases of malignant melanoma to skin is central to the planning of treatment. Local recurrence means persistence of neoplastic cells at the local site by virtue of incomplete excision of the primary melanoma. Standard treatment is excisional surgery. In contrast, locoregional metastases of malignant melanoma (satellites, in-transit metastases) are metastases around a primary melanoma or between a primary melanoma and regional lymph nodes. They represent intralymphatic or hematogenous spread of neoplastic cells. We present a variety of available treatment options and discuss especially topical imiquimod as a novel approach for the palliative treatment of locoregional cutaneous melanoma metastases in selected patients.