[Long-term locally-recurrent melanoma]

Malignant melanoma is a highly malignant skin tumor with a widely variable individual course. Currently, approximately 75% of German patients can be cured of malignant melanoma by early diagnosis and excision, while more than 20% die of distant metastases of the melanoma. In contrast, there are single cases of long-term locally recurrent melanomas with neither complete cure nor development of distant metastases. We report on a female patient with a nevus-associated melanoma who was treated in 1968 with X-ray radiation (Dermopan, 100 Gy) with curative intent. In the following 31 years, the patient developed four phases of in-transit and satellite metastases in a zosteriform pattern as well as ilioinguinal lymph node metastasis. Since 1999, the patient has been free of recurrence. Besides the unusual biological features of this case, this report reflects the changes of paradigms in the therapy of melanoma over the last forty years.