[Malignant melanoma in German-speaking countries in the 80's. Initial results of the central registry for malignant melanoma of the Germany Society of Dermatology in cooperation with the federal health office].

From July 1983 to April 1987, 2834 reports of malignant melanoma (MM) were received by the Central Registry of the German Dermatological Society in Berlin from 22 departments of dermatology in the German-speaking countries. Of these, 2277 reports were documented in a data bank and evaluated. Compared to earlier reports from the 1960s and 1970s the percentage of male patients with MM was found to be increased: 41% males, 59% females. Also, the tumor occurs today at a slightly younger age: 63% of all males and 56% of all females with MM were adults 30-60 years of age. In 10% of all MM patients, MM metastases were found during their first visit (stages II-IV). In addition, 37% of all patients in stage I without metastasis had MMs that were thicker than 1.5 mm. This indicates that there is a necessity for further information and early recognition of the MM in German-speaking countries. Regarding the therapeutic approach, considerable differences were noted among the various departments. Half of the primary MM excisions were conducted under local anesthesia, the rest with general anesthesia. In about 40% of all cases, a second surgical procedure was performed for larger excisions: half of the patients were operated on with safety margins of less than 3 cm. Twenty-seven percent of the patients in stage I MM received some type of adjuvant therapy, including chemo- and/or immunotherapy. However, postsurgical management varied greatly among the different departments. The additional results regarding possible risk factors, such as sun exposure and preexisting pigmented moles, are remarkable.