A new subgroup of malignant melanoma, acral-lentiginous melanoma (ALM), is presented, which the authors have diagnosed in 8% of their melanoma patients. In a retrospective study the clinical and pathological findings in 44 patients with ALM are reviewed. A relationship was found between age, tumor diameter and thickness, pigmentation, ulceration, vasoinvasion and mitoses. The author's patients had a 5-year survival rate of 58%.