title: Multidisciplinary approach to patient with malignant melanoma.
abstract: The incidence of melanoma is rapidly increasing worldwide and the prognosis of patients with metastatic disease is still poor, with a median survival of 8-9 months and a 3-year overall survival (OS) rate less than 15% [1,2]. A complete surgical excision is the main treatment for primary cutaneous melanoma [3], but controversies about the extension of excision margins still remain [4]. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) provides important prognostic and staging data by the identification of regional node-negative patients who would not benefit from a complete nodal dissection. However, there is no consensus in the definition of melanoma thickness to enforce the execution of the SLNB [5]. To date, Interferon-α (IFN-α)is the only approved adjuvant treatment after surgical excision of high-risk melanoma, but its indication remains still controversial [2,6].
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Salerno and Division of Oncology, San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona Hospital, Salerno.
authors.forename: Giuseppina Della Vittoria
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Scarpati
authors.forename: Celeste
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fusciello
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sabbatino
authors.forename: Soldano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrone
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caponigro
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perri
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carlomagno
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pepe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf