Melanoma and Soft Tissue Sarcoma Division

The Melanoma Division is devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of neoplastic diseases of the skin and of soft tissue. The spectrum of the Division activity ranges from the dermatologic education of the general population, to the surgical and medical treatments of melanoma and soft tissue sarcomas. Surgical treatment of melanoma lesions ranges from diagnostic excisional biopsies, to radical excisions and sentinel node biopsies, to complete lymph-node dissections in the case of melanoma metastatic to the nodes. The Melanoma Working Group is currently active with chemo- and immunotherapy trials dedicated to each melanoma stage. The most recent and ongoing Melanoma clinical trials are described in the dedicated chapter of the annual report.

Concerning soft tissue sarcomas, the standard treatment includes surgical resection and different radiotherapeutic proposals ranging from brachytherapy to IORT or external beam radiotherapy. The treatment approach is multidisciplinary, mainly involving the division of radiotherapy for the intraoperative treatments. Isolated limb perfusion with TNF and associated treatments have also been implemented, while in collaboration with medical oncologists, the Division participates in a clinical trial dedicated to the evaluation of the role of preoperative and post operative chemotherapy. An epidemiological study has been funded by an ISPESL grant to evaluate the possible occupational correlation in sarcoma pathogenesis.

The Division has a dedicated surgical theatre on three weekdays for local anaesthesia procedures and once a week for general anaesthesia.