[Basic principles of melanoma surgery].

Today, excisions of primary malignant melanomas of the skin are performed with a margin of 1 cm (Breslow-index < or = 1 mm) or 2-3 cm (Breslow-Index > 1 mm). Elective lymphadenectomy of locoregional lymph nodes is still under debate but therapeutic lymphadenectomy is always indicated. Unilocalized distant metastases should be resected in cases of slow growth and of a long-term interval (> 1 year) between the primary lesion and the occurrence of the metastases.