Radiotherapy in the management of malignant melanoma

We performed a retrospective analysis of 45 patients with malignant melanoma who were treated with radiation therapy at the University of Illinois and Mercy Hospitals, Chicago, between 1962 and 1978. Thirty-nine patients received 69 courses of radiation therapy for metastatic disease, six patients received radiotherapy with curative intent for localized lesions. We analyzed some of the factors governing the response to radiation therapy. Although most of the patients were treated with conventional daily fractions, their response seemed comparable to that reported by other investigators using large fractions. Until the issue of optimum fraction size is settled by a comparative trial, our experience indicates that conventional fractionation may be equally effective