Sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma management: its significance and potential problems.

摘要

There has been long debate about the management of regional lymph nodes in melanoma patients without apparent regional metastases. Given the high metastatic risk of melanoma, elective lymph node dissection may be accepted as a method to reduce later regional relapse. However, metastatic melanoma cells are histopathologically detected in the dissected lymph nodes in only about 20% of patients who receive elective lymph node dissection. This means that 80% of patients receive unnecessary surgery. Note that, after the dissection, wound scar and edema of the regional areas are common serious problems. To settle this debate, several prospective randomized trials of elective lymph node dissection were performed.