Cutaneous malignant melanoma in South Australia: the main features

New cases of primary cutaneous melanoma occurring in South Australia in a period of 12 months were studied. The main clinical and pathological features are reported. The incidence is high, but is much less than that reported in Queensland in 1977. Some differences from the Queensland study, concerning the age, sex and site distribution, have been noted, but generally these features are quite comparable. All major pathological types of malignant melanoma occur in South Australia, with a marked preponderance of the superficial spreading type. On the basis of level of invasion and thickness, more than half of the tumours have a good prognosis. The most common reason for excision of melanomas was the observation of a change in the lesion, but some were excised after incidental recognition by a medical practitioner during medical examination for other reasons.