Book Review

Textbook of Melanoma

N Engl J Med 2004; 350:2725-2726June 24, 2004

Article

Textbook of Melanoma
Edited by John F. Thompson, Donald L. Morton, and Bin B.R. Kroon. 687 pp., illustrated. New York, Martin Dunitz, 2004. $309.95. ISBN: 1-90186-565-7

Malignant melanoma is an increasingly important public health problem. Despite the fact that the cause of most melanomas — excessive exposure to ultraviolet light — is known, the incidence of this tumor is rising faster than the incidence of any other cancer in the United States. At current rates, there will be more than 90,000 cases of melanoma this year, and the lifetime risk of this disease in a person living in the continental United States is now 1 in 37. Even more important is that one person dies of this cancer every hour in this country. In addition, the range of possible presentations has broadened, and melanomas are being seen not only by oncologists, but also by other specialists and by generalists.

For all of these reasons, there is a need for an up-to-date, wide-ranging reference book on melanoma. Thompson, Morton, and Kroon have met this need by assembling a broad-based, world-renowned group of authors who comprehensively cover the spectrum of issues related to melanoma in this excellent textbook. The text is presented in a format that is easily readable. There are multiple tables and graphs that present data in a manner that facilitates understanding.

Several features make this book stand apart from others in this area. Information is presented in 14 logically divided sections. The book begins with a chapter on the history of melanoma that puts the subject in unique perspective. Beyond the discussion of traditional therapies, an extensive review of experimental approaches to treatment is provided. The chapter on management guidelines is particularly helpful. The chapters on site-specific melanoma serve as a useful reference.

No textbook is perfect, and this one also has some deficiencies. There are not as many clinical photographs as might be desired, and the colors in some of the images are off. Some chapters are very short, and a number of the references are out of date. A flow chart on the diagnosis and management of melanoma would have been helpful to tie together the concepts presented and thereby facilitate patient care. The international perspective of the book is generally positive, but some of the topics (e.g., prevention) leave out a U.S. viewpoint. Finally, it would be helpful if the book were accompanied by a compact disk of the images, which could be used for teaching.

Notwithstanding these limitations, I rate this book as outstanding. As an “expert” in melanoma, I have been able to learn new facts and clinical information from this book that will improve my care of patients. Readers with less knowledge who need to learn more about melanoma to enhance the care of their patients with the disease will also benefit from this book. For all of these reasons, I recommend the Textbook of Melanoma to those with an interest in this cancer.

Darrell S. Rigel, M.D.
New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016

Citing Articles (1)

Citing Articles

1. 1

   Jo-David Fine, Lorraine B. Johnson, Madeline Weiner, Kuo-Ping Li, Chirayath Suchindran. (2009) Epidermolysis bullosa and the risk of life-threatening cancers: The National EB Registry experience, 1986-2006. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 60:2, 203-211
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