Malignant melanoma: clinical variants and prognostic indicators

The four main clinicopathological subsets of melanoma are described and the arguments for their retention in a research setting presented. Further add itional subsets are described, including partly regressed primary melanoma, melanoma arising in a congenital naevus and multiple primary tumours. Pathological prognostic indicators are discussed and the pre-eminent signif icance of tumour thickness and its interaction with ulceration described. T he need for accurate personal predictive profiles as distinct from those re levant to populations is discussed, as is the need for a molecular marker o f metastatic potential.