MEDICAL PROGRESS - CUTANEOUS MELANOMA

CUTANEOUS melanoma has become a common form of cancer.1 Decades of steady increases in the incidence and mortality rates of cutaneous malignant melanoma have sparked global interest in the nature of this cancer.2 3 4 5 6 Recent research has advanced our understanding of cutaneous melanoma and its biology, natural history, and treatment.7 This article reviews the current state of knowledge of melanoma and outlines approaches to treatment and control. Epidemiology The incidence of melanoma continues to rise throughout the world (Table 1). In the United States, the incidence of melanoma has almost tripled in the past four decades, growing faster than that of. . . © 1991, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.