Loco-regional nodal relapse in melanoma

Surg Oncol. 1992 Oct;1(5):333-40. doi: 10.1016/0960-7404(92)90033-h.

Abstract

Two-hundred and seven patients without evidence of disease following lymph node dissection (LND) were stratified into three groups: Group A, lymph node relapse within the site of prior LND; Group B, lymph node relapse in a different, but regional, lymph node group; Group C, no lymph node relapse. Decreased survival was noted in both Groups A and B versus Group C. Prognostic factors were identified as: (i) axial or subungal/volar (subvolar) location and the number of positive lymph nodes at initial LND for nodal relapse within the same lymph node group; (ii) male gender, axial/subvolar location, and the number of histologically positive lymph nodes at initial LND for nodal relapse in a different, but regional lymph node group; (iii) relapse within the initial LND site for a decreased survival. Six of 10 patients with both axial/subvolar primaries and four or more positive lymph nodes developed a relapse within the dissection site post-LND. These prognostic factors describe a subset of patients who would be candidates for postoperative adjuvant local/regional and systemic therapy trials.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Male
  • Melanoma / mortality*
  • Melanoma / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / mortality*
  • Philadelphia / epidemiology
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sex Distribution
  • Skin Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery
  • Survival Analysis