Abstract
We report a case of malignant melanoma in a chronic hemodialysis (HD) patient. A 65-year-old woman with a 20-year history of maintenance HD therapy complained of easy-bleeding and pain at the site of an old scar, in proximity to the nail of her left little finger, in August 1994, The fingernail had been injured more than 10-years previously, and the wound had scarred over. She was diagnosed as having acral lentiginous malignant melanoma by a dermatologist. She underwent ray amputation of the left little finger and left axillar lymph nade dissection, but the melanoma cells had already invaded subcutaneous tissues. The melanoma was thus classified as level V./Stage III. Although chemotherapy was planned, we presently hesitate to commence treatment with antineoplastic agents because of her complications and poor general condition. The incidence of malignancy in HD patients is higher than that of the general population. As such, the need for chemotherapy in HD patients is expected to increase in the future, although difficulties encountered in treating these patients with antineoplastic agents persist.
