Subungual melanoma of the hand

Subungual melanoma is a rare but well-recognized tumor of the hand. Its management is ill defined and the factors influencing prognosis have not been well described. The clinicopathologic features of a series of 38 patients with subungual melanoma of the hand are reported. The median thickness was 3 mm, and only seven patients presented with pathologic stage I disease (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] system). Ulceration and lack of pigmentation were the only significant univariate prognostic indicators. There was no significant difference in local recurrence rates among patients whose amputation was carried out proximal or distal to the interphalangeal joint of the thumb or the middle of the middle phalanx in the other fingers. Management of the regional lymph node field based on the use of selective lymphadenectomy is described.