Radiation therapy of malignant melanoma.
This article discusses that previously considered radioresistant, malignant melanomas clearly have been shown to respond either to conventional or high-dose-per-fraction radiation therapy. Approximately one fourth of palliatively irradiated malignant melanomas respond completely and another one third respond substantially. Some physicians have controlled small-volume macroscopic tumors by radiation therapy, but such treatment has not gained wide acceptance. Elective irradiation of anatomic sites considered likely to harbor microscopic-size tumor unquestionably decreases the risk of local-regional recurrence. The inability of available systemic therapies, however, to prevent the appearance of distant metastases limits the current impact of such treatment.
Cooper
Jay S
JS
New York University Medical Center, 560 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA. jay.cooper@med.nyu.edu
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome