Recent advances in the management of cutaneous malignant melanoma: our case cohort

Decades of research into the management of cutaneous malignant melanoma have proven it to be a 'tough nut to crack', and its incidence has continued to increase over the last 30 years. Surgery remains a gold standard for early-stage melanoma with five-year survival of 98% for stage I disease, and 90% for stage II. Nonetheless, patients with stage III disease are at a higher risk, resulting in local recurrence as well as distant metastasis. Research regarding the control of metastatic malignant melanoma of the head and neck has evolved. Currently the search is on to understand metastatic malignant melanoma as a heterogeneous disease both at the molecular and clinical level. This paper focuses on the latest systemic therapy for metastatic disease of the head and neck, including cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and target therapy. The new eighth edition of tumour staging, and the sequelae for malignant melanoma, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), surgical intervention, and its benefits and shortfalls, are discussed. Also, the outcome of our cohort series of patients with metastatic cutaneous malignant melanoma who were treated with systemic combination therapy in Dorset is presented.