My dermatological training started from April,1970 at the Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University where Professor Makoto Seiji was the head. Professor Seiji insisted that we always worked vigorously to contribute to the development of clinical and basic dermatology.  All staffs were requested to read English papers from the international journals, and we alternatively presented the summaries on every Monday evening. I distinctly remember that Professor Seiji had selected 3 papers on sunscreen agents from the Archives of Dermatology for my first time. Wednesday morning was for researchers to read the books on biochemistry and Thursday morning was for electron microscopy. Books such as Structure and Functions of Skin by Montagna, Ultrastructure of Normal and Abnormal skin by Zelickson, Biochemistry of Skin by Seiji were selected. From the clinical side, conference on in-patients, followed by discussion of histopathological findings, diagnosis and treatment were held every week. In addition, at the noon time, discussion was conducted on interesting cases seen in the outpatient service each day.  Professor Seiji encouraged young dermatologists and researchers to study abroad in order to gain the international view. He was instrumental to finding institutions in U.S.A, U.K. and West Germany for them to be accepted. Many of us, not only in our school,  but from others benefited, as well from his kindness and concern.

Although Professor Seiji was a renowned basic scientist, he was also extremely interested in the projects concerning clinical aspects of various dermatological disorders such as malignant melanoma, vitiligo, xeroderma pigmentosum, other photodermatosis, and abnormal keratinization. A clinical research project, to evaluate the biological properties of melanoma among Japanese, started in 1969, and I was fortunate to work with him on this project.

The relatively high rate of melanomas found in Japanese on the sole, subungual site and mucous membrane, as compared to the high incidence of melanomas on the trunk and face among Caucasians (1-4: Figures 1-3). These melanomas in the acral regions show highly aggressive growth pattern, and differ considerably from others previously described. Professor Seiji has proposed the term palmo-plantar-subungual-mucosal type of melanoma (PSM melanoma) as a new clinical entity in 1979 (5). In retrospect, we consider that PSM melanoma in Japan has similar features to those reported by Reed (6) in acral lentiginous melanoma in U.S.A.

After the death of Professor Seiji, we continued to carry out the melanoma project, remembering his legacy that the continuous accumulation of data is most important in the clinical and epidemiological study (e.g. 7-10). Owing to the early detection and up to date management, prognosis of melanoma patients in Japan has greatly improved during the past 30 years.   It is my privilege and joy to keep memory of Professor Seiji through the most meaningful medical contributions.
December, 1998.
 

References: 

1.   Takahashi M, Seiji M, Tomita Y, Kato T:  Acral melanoma in Japan.  In: Pigment Cell 1981: Phenotypic Expression in Pigment Cells, ed. by M Seiji, University of Tokyo Press, pp. 555-562, 1981. 

2.   Seiji M, Takematsu H, Hosokawa M, Obata M, Tomita Y, Kato T, Takahashi M, Mihm MC:  Acral melanoma in Japan.  J Invest Dermatol 80: 56S-60S, 1983. 

3.   Takematsu H, Tomita Y, Kato T, Takahashi M, Abe R, Seiji M:  Melanoma in Japan: Experience at Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai.  In: Cutaneous Melanoma, eds. by CM Balch et al, Lippincott, Philadelphia, pp. 499-506, 1985. 

4.   Kato T, Kumasaka N, Suetake T, Tabata N, Tagami H:  Clinicopathological study of acral melanoma in situ in 44 Japanese patients.  Dermatology 193: 192-197, 1996. 

5.   Seiji M, Mihim MC, Sober AJ, Takahashi M, Kato T, Fitzpatrick TB:  Malignant melanoma of the palmar-plantar-subungual-mucosal type.  In: Pigment Cell 5, ed. by SN Kalus, Karger, Basel, pp. 95-104, 1979. 

6.   Reed RJ:  New Concepts in Surgical Pathology of the Skin.  John Willey & Sons Inc., New York, pp. 73-96, 1976. 

7.   Kato T, Suetake T, Sugiyama Y, Tabata N, Tagami H:  Epidemiology and prognosis of subungual melanoma in 34 Japanese patients.  Brit J Dermatol 134: 383-387, 1996. 

8.   Kato T, Ohgoshi K, Suetake T, Tabata N, Tagami H:  Acral lentiginous melanoma on the palm: Report of a case and an epidemiological study on melanoma on hte hands in 31 Japanese patients.  Clin Exp Dermatol 21: 388-389, 1996. 

9.   Kato T, Tabata N, Suetake T, Tagami H:  Nonpigmented nodules of plantar melanoma in 12 Japanese patients.  Brit J Dermatol 136: 207-211, 1997. 

10.  Kato T, Suetake T, Tabata N, Takahashi K, Tagami H:  Epidemiology and prognosis of plantar melanoma in 62 Japanese patients over a 28-year period.  Int J Dermatol submitted, 1999.