title: Radiotherapy of primary human melanomas--experiences and suggestions.
abstract: We treated 60 invasive primary human melanomas by soft X-rays. In 23 additional cases radiotherapy was applied after total excision of a primary melanoma. Only in two cases was a tumor observed in the field of irradiation during the follow-up period: a recurrence of a primary melanoma and a skin metastasis. Radioresistance cannot be unequivocally assumed in either case. Since deeply situated in-transit metastases cannot be destroyed by soft X-rays in spite of our good results we regard radiotherapy of invasive primary melanomas as a second choice treatment to be administered if impaired general health, excessive tumor growth in certain localisations or refusal of the patient do not allow a major operation. Nodular parts of primary melanomas should be excised before radiotherapy to obtain material for histopathological confirmation of the diagnosis and to determine the thickness of the tumor. X-rays of lower hardness can subsequently be applied.
authors.affiliation: Fachklinik Hornheide, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Elsmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*