Melanoma as a Medical Problem

Abstract

Malignant [ALIGNANT melanoma continues to be an enigmatic disease and, judging from the large number of studies in the recent literature,^1-10of wide clinical interest as well. Yet, few authors have attempted to validate clinical description of their cases by statistical methods. Nor has any report appeared detailing results of medical treatment of a large number of patients. The purpose of this report is to summarize such data on the natural history and therapy of the disease on the basis of 164 patients seen at the Children's Cancer Research Foundation between 1947 and 1966. <h3>Incidence Factors</h3> As reported in the literature, melanoma represents only 1% to 3% of malignant tumors^11,12but an average of 14% of the adult tumor clinic population at the Children's Cancer Research Foundation have this disease. Sixty-seven percent of our patients were observed until death, 24% are alive, and 9% have been lost to