When comparing the two most common histological subtypes with each other, namely nodular malignant melanoma (NMM), which represents the more invasive type, and superficial spreading melanoma (SSM), 41 patients (60%) with NMM were carriers of the FGFR4 Arg388 polymorphism (P=0.002), whereas only 27 patients (40%) with NMM had the Gly388 genotype. This evidence concerns the gene FGFR4 and superficial spreading melanoma.