Clinical Management of Melanoma

Melanoma is a disease entity that has the capability of involving all organ systems of the human body. During the last decade a dramatic increase in the incidence of this disease has been noted. It is surpassed in this dreadful statistic only by carcinoma of the lung. During this time frame, much has been defined and written concerning the histopathology and prognostic fac tors of this neoplastic disorder. The relative ease of maintaining this malig nant cell in tissue culture has permitted the cellular biologist, tumor immu nologist, immunochemist and geneticist an ideal in vitro experimental mod el for advancing our understanding of human malignancy. Histopathologic features, prognostic factors, membrane antigenic expression and host-tumor relationship in this disease have all been extensively studied and it has thus become evident that melanoma can and does serve as a prototype for the study of human malignancies in general. Basic scientists including embry ologists, immunologists, virologists, immunochemists, geneticists, biostatisti cians and cellular biologists, should find this monograph of interest. Bridg ing clinical specialists including the pathologist, diagnostic and therapeutic radiologist and epidemiologist will also find areas of interest in these writ ings. Because of the fact that melanoma can involve all organ systems, clin icians ranging from family practitioners to the subspecialists should become thoroughly familiar with the clinical aspects of this disease, which are fully covered in this book. Locoregional therapIes are discussed in some depth.

Inhalt

1. Surgical considerations for cutaneous melanoma.- 2. Pathology of melanoma.- 3. Melanoma of the genitourinary tract.- 4. Radiographic manifestations of thoracic malignant melanoma.- 5. Radiographic manifestations of metastatic melanoma to the gastrointestinal tract, hepatobiliary system, pancreas, spleen and mesentery.- 6. Malignant melanoma of the eye.- 7. Central nervous system melanoma.- 8. Immunobiology of melanoma.- 9. Melanoma of the head and neck.- 10. Prognostic factors in malignant melanoma.- 11. Radionuclide studies in malignant melanoma.- 12. Hormonal aspects of melanoma.- 13. Chemotherapy of melanoma.- 14. Dermatologic manifestations of melanoma.- 15. Orthopaedic considerations in the treatment of malignant melanoma.- 16. Melanomas of the eye and its adnexa.- 17. Immunotherapy of melanoma.