A History of Melanoma: From Hunter to Morton

Abstract

There have been many advances in knowledge of the epidemiology, pathology, and treatment of melanoma since the time of Hunter. The diagnosis of melanoma is now made soon after a cutaneous lesion is discovered and without regional nodal or distant disease; no longer is it accepted that radical wide excision of the primary lesion and elective dissection of the draining lymph node field are mandatory for the treatment of invasive melanoma. It is clear, however, that accurate and insightful observations made during the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries are still relevant to modern day care of melanoma patients in the twenty-first century. Contemporary physicians and researchers in the field of melanoma can benefit from recognizing, specting, and citing the remarkable ontributions of those who preceded them.Introduction This brief history of the development of melanoma covers the period from John Hunter (1728–1793) to Donald L. Morton (1934–2012). The foundation of much of our contemporary knowledge was established during the early period of medical discovery in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. However, this chapter also highlights individuals (now deceased) who made major contributions to the field in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.