LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF METASTATIC MELANOMA AFTER REPEATED SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS

This report focuses on an unusual case of an advanced malignant melano ma. The women had had several local recurrences on her left cheek afte r excision of a high-risk melanoma. In addition, she developed several pulmonary metastases which were controlled each time by surgical mana gement. Furthermore, she suffered from a 3 cm, solitary metastasis in the left lobe of the liver which was excised and which has not shown r elapse at this site in 8 years. In the meantime, a second primary tumo r was diagnosed as mammary carcinoma. The patient always recovered ver y quickly from the surgical intervention, is in good condition (Kamofs ky 90) and is disease-free. This case demonstrates that surgical treat ment of distant metastatic melanomas remains a very effective method o f controlling limited and technically-resectable lesions of metastatic tumors. A review of the literature is given.