CURRENT THERAPY FOR CUTANEOUS MELANOMA

We review the current therapy for melanoma. The diagnosis, prognostic variables, staging, treatment, and follow-up guidelines for cutaneous melanoma are reviewed from the earliest to the most advanced stages. N ew guidelines for margins are discussed. A new, evolving, innovative r adiographic technique, positron emission tomography using 2-fluorine-1 8-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose, may be useful to identify subclinical noda l and visceral disease. Recent advances with respect to tumor vaccines , gene therapy, immunotherapy, and interleukin 2 as well as current co ncepts regarding lymph node dissection are discussed.