Radiotherapy of malignant melanoma

In the last years is increasing clinical evidence to contradict the well-established idea that melanomas are uniformly radiation resistant. Although surgery remains the first choice for most localized melanoma, radiotherapy is an alternative in a small subgroup of patients in whom the surgery was associated with a deformity, for example in lentigo malign melanoma localized on the face, and in melanoma of the UVEA. Adjuvant radiation therapy following lymphadenectomy in node positive melanoma prevents local and regional recurrence. Stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases has shown effective local control The radiotherapy is likely to play a greater role in melanoma management. (author)