End Nodes . . .

Tumor burden predicts additional involvement, perhaps preventing unnecessary complete lymph node dissections.

Standard practice in melanoma treatment now dictates ongoing observation of the mapped nodal basin if all identified sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) are negative for melanoma, and complete therapeutic lymph node dissection (cTLND) if any SLN contains disease. Because cTLND involves considerable morbidity, and because lymph nodes remaining in the basin after SLN biopsy are often uninvolved, an accurate method for predicting risk for subsequent disease is needed. Investigators sought factors that predict additional involvement.

Among 2203 patients who underwent SLN biopsy, 359 (16.3%) had at least one pathologically positive SLN; 343 of these patients (96%) subsequently underwent cTLND. Pathologically positive non-SLNs were detected in the cTLND s…

Reviewing Author

Hensin Tsao, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Consultant / advisory board Lubax; WorldCare Clinical

EquityLubax

Grant / Research support NIH; Department of Defense; American Skin Association; Piramal

Editorial boardsBritish Journal of Dermatology; Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; Journal of Investigative Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Chair, Skin Cancer and Melanoma Committee); American Board of Dermatology (Director)