title: Melanoma m1: diagnosis and therapy.
abstract: This article reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognostic factors and treatment of metastatic melanoma, including the most recent developments in the specific field. It examines the sequential and non-linear models of development and progression of melanoma and the main molecular disorder involved in these processes. Clinical and diagnostic aspects have been divided according to clinical staging. Surgical resectability, the site and number of metastases, the number of involved organs, the duration of remission, serum lactate dehydrogenase levels and tumor doubling-time have the greatest prognostic value. Surgical treatment has been analyzed considering its rational function and examining all sites involved in metastasis. We also discuss the palliative role of radiotherapy in relation to various metastatic sites, chemotherapy and recently introduced targeted-therapy. The association of newer drugs and new biological therapies such as ipilimumab and verumafenib have improved the treatment landscape of stage IV melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Melanoma and Sarcoma Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS Padova, Italy. marco.rastrelli@ioveneto.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rastrelli
authors.forename: Saveria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tropea
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pigozzo
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bezzon
authors.forename: Luca Giovanni
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stramare
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alaibac
authors.forename: Carlo Riccardo
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
keywords: Stage IV melanoma; chemotherapy; radiotherapy; review; surgery; tumor doubling-time