[Is surgical therapy of distant metastases of malignant melanoma worthwhile?]

Distant metastases of malignant melanoma are generally considered as incurable related with an unfavourable prognosis. On the basis of our retrospective analysis of surgical treatment, subgroups of patients could be identified showing a significant improvement in survival after complete surgical removal of metastases. In single cases, survival longer than 10 years was observed. The surgical therapy of distant metastases of malignant melanoma is based on a strict patient selection and is only advantageous to those patients whose tumor tissue can be removed completely.