[Cutaneous Melanoma (CM): Current Diagnosis and Treatment]

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is the third most common cancer of the skin, but it is the neoplasia with the greatest impact on mortality. Its etiology is multifactorial and it has been reported that its prevalence has increased in the last two decades. In Mexico, CM ranks seventh in frequency among all malignancies and 80% of cases are in locally advanced stages. The prognosis depends on the stage. The prognostic factors with greatest impact in survival are nodal status, tumor thickness or Breslow depth, ulceration, and in thin melanomas (< 1 mm thickness, without ulceration and Clarck level III), the mitotic index. The diagnostic approach is of great importance to achieve adequate treatment. Adherence to global guidelines of treatment allows us to obtain the best rates of locoregional control, which is the first target to be achieved in patients with CM. The goal of this manuscript is to provide a synthesis of the most important aspects in the diagnosis and treatment of CM, based on current evidence obtained in the literature.