Surgical treatment of melanoma

Abstract:

Surgical treatment for early-stage melanoma can lead to complete cure in a large number of patients. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a standard method of treatment for melanoma thicker than 1 mm. Lymphadenectomy is indicated in cases where lymph node metastases occur either after sentinel lymph biopsy or during the follow-up of a patient with melanoma. Lymphadenectomy may also lead to complete cure in a large proportion of patients with lymph node metastases, providing a long-term survival. There is a large amount of data showing that surgical treatment of distant metastasis can lead to cure in up to a third of patients. 

Key words:
lymph node excision; melanoma; sentinel lymph node biopsy; surgical procedures, operative