[Primary multiple malignant melanomas of unusually long duration].

In 1975, 117 patients with malignant melanoma attented the Department of Dermatology at the University of Cologne, and three of these had had a superficial spreading melanoma (SSM) over a long period-one patient most probably for more than 25 years. With these patients another primary malignant melanoma developed, though not a metastasis. It appears that SSM gives no protection against other melanomas of the superficial or nodular type. In comparison, a 70-year-old patient had had a pigmented tumour for about 40 years and this suddenly spread five years ago; however, at least some of the metastases regressed to form vitiligo-like lesions surrounding deposits of melanin in macrophages. In this case the spontaneous regression did not protect the patient against new metastases in the lymph nodes and probably in the liver as well.