Abstract
The first and basic result of this study is to show that
radiation is by no means useless in malignant melanoma. Even
as a palliative it appears to increase survival and certainly
is a safer and more sure way of relieving local symptoms than
any chemotherapeutic agent yet tried extensively. The fact
that the established disease can respond in the great majority
of cases has been obscured by the relative minority of spectacular
failures.
In view of this and the disappointing results of surgery at
least in certain situations» e.g. trunk and foot lesions it is
perhaps worthwhile trying it in an attempt to improve the results
in the elderly, unfit and more advanced case in whom the prognosis
evEn with - or perhaps especially with - radical surgery is poor.
It would appear that any case with obviously involved nodes
is beyond help by surgery alone. DICKSON (1958) has shown the
improvement which post-operative radiation can achieve in early
cases. It is postulated that in the advanoed case intensive
radiation may prolong the patient's life and preserve the
functional integrity of his extremities with a better chance of
so doing if surgery is not embarked upon.
