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Collegium antropologicum, Vol. 32 - Supplement 2 No. 2, 2008.

Original scientific paper

Our Experience of Melanoma Thickness as a Predictor of Outcome of Sentinel Node Biopsy

Damir Homolak
Borki Vučetić
Zvonimir Puljiz
Iva Blajić
Maja Vurnek Živković
Mirna Šitum

Full text: english pdf 57 Kb

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Abstract

All follow up protocols for patients with malignant melanoma (MM) are oriented to early detection of metastases. As
most of the relapses happened in regional lymph nodes, special attention is given to this region, using different diagnostic
tools. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is generally accepted method in determining status of lymph nodes in MM
patients, in their staging. This method provides valuable prognostic information, facilitates early therapeutical lymphadenectomy
and so provides good base for identification of those patients who are candidates for different adjuvant modalities
of treatment. (In 2001 American Joint Committee on Cancer introduced new staging system for melanoma patients
which presents good frame for prognosis and therapeutical approach. Inclusion of new criteria will allow better
and more individualized prognosis and treatment.) The most important predictor of SLNB outcome is thickness of tumor
according to Breslow, while there is no sufficient data to show correlation with other factors.We retrospectively studded
431 patients, out of which SLNB was performed on 188. Forty patients or 21.3% had positive lymph nodes. Our results
showed strong correlation of tumor thickness and Clark level of invasion with SLNB outcome. Metastatic lymph
nodes were founded in all acral-lentiginous melanoma patients, followed by nodular melanoma – 55.6% and superficial
spreading melanoma – 14.1%. Results showed statistically significant predilection of positive SLNB in male patients
and no correlation of positive SLNB with histological type of tumor. On the contrary, it showed significant correlation
with development of metastases. Thus our results are similar to other comparable studies.

Keywords

malignant melanoma; sentinel lymph node biopsy; melanoma thickness

Hrčak ID:

34541

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/34541

Publication date:

1.10.2008.

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