An overview of cutaneous malignant melanoma

Cutaneous melanomas are an increasingly frequent lesion. Many new cases are diagnosed early, and simple surgical excision is often curative. Treatment may consist of excisional biopsy with conservative surgical margins. Prophylactic lymph node dissection remains controversial. The final verdict may be obtained at the conclusion of a large on-going multi-institutional American prospective trial comparing observation and prophylactic lymph node dissection. Though only a small number of patients present with advanced primary melanoma, future investigation in the treatment of disseminated disease and in understanding the tumor biology must continue as current chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic regimens show marginal benefit. As melanomas continue to become more prevalent, patient and physician education aimed at early detection and prevention should be advocated.