Melanoma in Pregnancy

The clinical course of malignant melanoma in pregnancy has been a subject of controversy, but current evidence indicates that it is similar to the clinical course in non-pregnant patients. Early detection and biopsy of localized disease is crucial because early treatment provides an excellent prognosis. Surgical excision is the primary therapy for this disease. As the primary care provider for many women in the reproductive age group, obstetrician-gynecologists have an opportunity to detect these lesions at their earliest stages when they are amenable to cure. Overall, maternal metastases to the fetus and placenta are very rare events and do not warrant elective termination based on the maternal diagnosis. However, a thorough examination of the infant and placenta should be done in all cases of melanoma complicating pregnancy. After treatment, long-term follow-up is recommended. Since most recurrences develop within 3 years after the diagnosis, it remains prudent to recommend that these patients avoid a subsequent pregnancy during this interval.