[The prognosis of patients with level V melanomas of the extremities]

Patients with level V melanoma have a very bad prognosis on account of their high rate of lymph node and distant metastases. From Jan. 1979 to Dec. 1987, a total of 251 patients suffering from malignant melanoma of the extremities (including 28 patients with level V melanoma = 11.2%) underwent excision of the primary tumor, lymph node dissection, as well as regional hyperthermic perfusion with cytostatics. The prognosis of our patients with level V melanoma could be improved considerably by therapy.