4 cases of malignant melanoma for 18 years.

In our clinic, we encountered 4 patients (3 men and one woman, 42-76 years old) with malignant melanoma during an 18-year period from 1975 to 1992. Acral lentiginous melanoma was observed in 3 patients, and nodular melanoma in one. Wide surgical excision was done in all cases, and right inguinal lymphadenectomy was added in one patient (case 1, pT4N1M0. Stage III) . One patient (case 1) died 3 years and 2 months after the first visit due to metastasis to the lung. Another patient (case 2, pT3aN0M0. Stage II) died 5 years and 1 month after surgery due to pneumonia without metastasis or recurrence. One patient (case 3, PT3aN0M0. Stage II) is still alive without metastasis or recurrence 1 year and 10 months after surgery. In the remaining patient (case 4, pT3aN0M0. Stage II), left axillar metastasis was found 8 months after surgery, despite DAV and IFN-& combination therapy. Although chemotherapy was not done in cases 1, 2 and 3, IFN-& therapy was added in case 3.