Malignant melanomas of the vulva: two case reports.

Malignant melanomas of the vulva are rare tumours which constitute only 5-10% of all vulvar cancers but are the second commonest vulvar malignancy after squamous carcinomas. Almost all vulvar naevi are of the junctional type from which melanomas are believed to arise and this may explain why in women, 3-5% of melanomas occur in the vulva though it occupies only 1-2% of the body surface area. Vulvar melanomas have a poor prognosis with an overall 5-year survival rate of only 34% in a recent review.'