[Surgical treatment of malignant melanoma of the skin with special reference to the vertical tumor diameter].

The level of invasion of the primary tumor is a reliable criterion of prognosis for cutaneous melanoma. Hence it follows that a differential surgical treatment is possible especially in the clinical stage I. Primary treatment of malignant melanoma consists of three-dimensional excision. The width of excision is determinated by the microstage. The elective regional lymphadenectomy shows an apparant benefit for stage I melanoma with a level between 1.5 and 4.0 mm. The value of added treatments (radiotherapy, systemic, and local chemotherapy, immuntherapy) is still controversial, but should be considered in the future clinical and therapeutical research.