A retrospective study of regional perfusion for melanoma

D. E. Wagner

Regional perfusion has been utilized in the treatment of accessible melanomas for many years. This series of 245 patients, which encompasses over ten years of experience, is presented to reevaluate the results of regional perfusions in melanomas, and perhaps to redefine the indications for such a procedure. Fifty-nine patients died from three months to over five years following the procedure, and six of the deaths were from diseases other than melanoma. The overall survival in stage I disease was 93%; stage II, 68%; and stage III, 41%. There were no survivors in stage IV. Nearly all of the recurrences and deaths from disease were seen within two years of the perfusion. These results are similar to others, and 10% to 15% better than those of conventional methods. Indications are now more definite, and include most invasive melanomas in an area accessible to perfusion technique, except in very elderly and poor risk patients, those with severe arteriosclerosis in the area concerned, and those with widespread metastases.