[Current treatment methods in skin tumors]

Modern aspects of treatment for malignant melanoma, basalioma and cutaneous lymphomas are reviewed. Cytokines have been proposed as immunostimulants in adjuvant therapy (destruction of residual tumor) for malignant melanoma or at high doses for treatment of metastatic melanoma. Basalioma is the most common tumor of the skin, prone to recurrence because of its iceberg-like subclinical growth-pattern. Micrographic surgery is best adapted to this growth behaviour by following the extent of the tumor in all directions by special histopathologic techniques thus permitting radical excision. Primary lymphomas of the skin although rare (1 in 100,000 per year) prevail and cumulate because of the long course over years and decades. New treatment avenues have opened by topical use of phospholipids and cytostatic drugs i. e. carmustine (BCNU).