[Pattern of recurrence of surgically treated primary malignant melanomas of the skin. Therapeutic consequences (author's transl)].

Recurrences were observed within 2 years in 14 out of 169 operatively treated malignant melanomas of the skin (Stage I). Since it cannot be excluded that local remanifestation may be the starting point of proliferative metastasis formation, an extensive low-dose irradiation therapy limited to one day preoperatively is suggested, to prevent the appearance of prognostically unfavorable local recurrences of operatively treated malignant melanoma.