title: Recurring melanoma--a case study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanoma occurs more frequently in Australia then anywhere else in the world, and has a notoriously unpredictable prognosis and the potential for very late recurrence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article presents a case study of a patient who experienced a local melanoma recurrence 19 years after initial diagnosis and treatment, and again 8 years later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Definitive treatment, followed by a long disease free period and the cessation of specialist follow up, may lull one into believing a melanoma is 'cured'. As the main long term medical provider, the general practitioner is uniquely placed to detect late recurrence at a stage that could allow life saving treatment.
authors: stomas101@australiaonline.net.au
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Tomas
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D013997:Time Factors