Melanoma

These guidelines represent an effort to distill and simplify an enormous body of knowledge and experience into fairly simple management algorithms. In general, treatment recommendations for primary tumors are based on better data than the recommendations for treating recurrent disease. Few, if any, firm recommendations can be made about more controversial issues for melanoma patients, such as the extent of workup or intensity of follow-up. These guidelines are intended as a point of departure, recognizing that all clinical decisions about individual patient management must be tempered by the clinician's judgment and other factors, such as local resources and expertise, and the individual patient's needs, wishes, and expectations. Furthermore, these guidelines are revised annually and continually as new data become available.