Melanoma and pregnancy: a long-term follow-up

Treatment of the pregnant woman with melanoma is contentious. With the aid of a computerized melanoma register, in which pregnancy data can be recorded, 290 women with melanoma were reviewed (249 alive and 41 dead). Overall, 23 patients were pregnant at the time of diagnosis of melanoma, and another 23 became pregnant at some time after primary treatment of a melanoma. Pregnancy appears to have no significant influence on the survival of patients with melanoma, but it is recommended that pregnancy should be avoided for the first three years following excision of a melanoma.