BACKGROUND: To evaluate our cases at the Skin Tumors Sector of Plastic Surgery Division at Federal University of São Paulo in relation to Isolated Limb Perfusion (ILP) for the treatment of in transit melanoma metastases, as well as the results, comparing them with international literature. METHODS: From May 1993 until April 2007, 41 patients with in transit metastases of skin melanoma were submitted to 44 ILP. Medical registry observations were evaluated in terms of regional and systemic toxicity and tumoral response after ILP. The obtained results were compared with international literature and posterior conclusions were done. RESULTS: We observed 43.2% of complete responses, 36.4% of partial responses and 20.4% of no responses after the procedures. Acute regional toxicity was in general restricted to slight erythema or edema, and there was no single case of serious systemic complication. CONCLUSION: The obtained data are in accordance with international literature demonstrating the importance and the possibility of ILP for locoregional control of in transit metastases of skin melanoma also in Brazilian reality.
Melanoma; Chemotherapy, cancer, regional perfusion; Neoplasm Metastasis