Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Patients With Melanoma Questions & Answers

1. American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Melanoma Skin Cancer. Cancer.org. Available at https://www.cancer.org/cancer/melanoma-skin-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. January 12, 2021; Accessed: October 10, 2021.

2. Bodenham DC. Malignant melanoma. Br J Dermatol. 1968 Mar. 80(3):190-2. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

3. Ivry GB, Ogle CA, Shim EK. Role of sun exposure in melanoma. Dermatol Surg. 2006 Apr. 32(4):481-92. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

4. Rigel DS, Rivers JK, Kopf AW, Friedman RJ, Vinokur AF, Heilman ER. Dysplastic nevi. Markers for increased risk for melanoma. Cancer. 1989 Jan 15. 63(2):386-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

5. Coit DG, Andtbacka R, Bichakjian CK, Dilawari RA, Dimaio D, Guild V, et al. Melanoma. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2009 Mar. 7(3):250-75. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

6. Snow H. Twenty two years' Experience in the Treatment of Cancerous and Other Tumours. London: Balliere, Tindall and Cox; 1898.

7. Balch CM, Soong SJ, Bartolucci AA, Urist MM, Karakousis CP, Smith TJ, et al. Efficacy of an elective regional lymph node dissection of 1 to 4 mm thick melanomas for patients 60 years of age and younger. Ann Surg. 1996 Sep. 224(3):255-63; discussion 263-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

8. Sim FH, Taylor WF, Ivins JC, Pritchard DJ, Soule EH. A prospective randomized study of the efficacy of routine elective lymphadenectomy in management of malignant melanoma. Preliminary results. Cancer. 1978 Mar. 41(3):948-56. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

9. Cascinelli N, Morabito A, Santinami M, MacKie RM, Belli F. Immediate or delayed dissection of regional nodes in patients with melanoma of the trunk: a randomised trial. WHO Melanoma Programme. Lancet. 1998 Mar 14. 351(9105):793-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

10. Stadelmann WK. The role of lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in the staging and treatment of melanoma. Clin Plast Surg. 2010 Jan. 37(1):79-99. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

11. Crowley NJ, Seigler HF. The role of elective lymph node dissection in the management of patients with thick cutaneous melanoma. Cancer. 1990 Dec 15. 66(12):2522-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

12. SEAMAN WB, POWERS WE. Studies on the distribution of radioactive colloidal gold in regional lymph nodes containing cancer. Cancer. 1955 Sep-Oct. 8(5):1044-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

13. Gould EA, Winship T, Philbin PH, Kerr HH. Observations on a "sentinel node" in cancer of the parotid. Cancer. 1960 Jan-Feb. 13:77-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

14. Morton DL, Wen DR, Wong JH, Economou JS, Cagle LA, Storm FK. Technical details of intraoperative lymphatic mapping for early stage melanoma. Arch Surg. 1992 Apr. 127(4):392-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

15. Thompson JF, Shaw HM. Sentinel node mapping for melanoma: results of trials and current applications. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2007 Jan. 16(1):35-54. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

16. Ferrone CR, Panageas KS, Busam K, Brady MS, Coit DG. Multivariate prognostic model for patients with thick cutaneous melanoma: importance of sentinel lymph node status. Ann Surg Oncol. 2002 Aug. 9(7):637-45. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

17. Gershenwald JE, Mansfield PF, Lee JE, Ross MI. Role for lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with thick (> or = 4 mm) primary melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2000 Mar. 7(2):160-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

18. Fontaine D, Parkhill W, Greer W, Walsh N. Partial regression of primary cutaneous melanoma: is there an association with sub-clinical sentinel lymph node metastasis?. Am J Dermatopathol. 2003 Oct. 25(5):371-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

19. Morris KT, Busam KJ, Bero S, Patel A, Brady MS. Primary cutaneous melanoma with regression does not require a lower threshold for sentinel lymph node biopsy. Ann Surg Oncol. 2008 Jan. 15(1):316-22. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

20. Socrier Y, Lauwers-Cances V, Lamant L, Garrido I, Lauwers F, Lopez R, et al. Histological regression in primary melanoma: not a predictor of sentinel lymph node metastasis in a cohort of 397 patients. Br J Dermatol. 2010 Apr. 162(4):830-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

21. Gannon CJ, Rousseau DL Jr, Ross MI, Johnson MM, Lee JE, Mansfield PF. Accuracy of lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy after previous wide local excision in patients with primary melanoma. Cancer. 2006 Dec 1. 107(11):2647-52. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

22. Evans HL, Krag DN, Teates CD, Patterson JW, Meijer S, Harlow SP. Lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy accurately stage melanoma in patients presenting after wide local excision. Ann Surg Oncol. 2003 May. 10(4):416-25. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

23. Roumen RM, Kuijt GP, Liem IH. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node harvesting in patients with recurrent breast cancer. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2006. 32:1076-1081. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

24. [Guideline] Wong SL, Faries MB, Kennedy EB, Agarwala SS, Akhurst TJ, Ariyan C, et al. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy and Management of Regional Lymph Nodes in Melanoma: American Society of Clinical Oncology and Society of Surgical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update. Ann Surg Oncol. 2018 Feb. 25 (2):356-377. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

25. Thompson JF, Uren RF, Shaw HM, McCarthy WH, Quinn MJ, O'Brien CJ. Location of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with cutaneous melanoma: new insights into lymphatic anatomy. J Am Coll Surg. 1999 Aug. 189(2):195-204. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

26. Wells KE, Cruse CW, Daniels S, Berman C, Norman J, Reintgen DS. The use of lymphoscintigraphy in melanoma of the head and neck. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1994 Apr. 93(4):757-61. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

27. O'Brien CJ, Uren RF, Thompson JF, Howman-Giles RB, Petersen-Schaefer K, Shaw HM. Prediction of potential metastatic sites in cutaneous head and neck melanoma using lymphoscintigraphy. Am J Surg. 1995 Nov. 170(5):461-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

28. Uren RF. Lymphatic drainage of the skin. Ann Surg Oncol. 2004 Mar. 11(3 Suppl):179S-85S. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

29. Balch CM, Gershenwald JE, Soong SJ, Thompson JF, Atkins MB, Byrd DR, et al. Final version of 2009 AJCC melanoma staging and classification. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Dec 20. 27(36):6199-206. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

30. Ribuffo D, Gradilone A, Vonella M, Chiummariello S, Cigna E, Haliassos N. Prognostic significance of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-negative sentinel nodes in malignant melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2003 May. 10(4):396-402. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

31. Faries MB, Thompson JF, Cochran AJ, et al. Completion Dissection or Observation for Sentinel-Node Metastasis in Melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2017 Jun 8. 376 (23):2211-2222. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

32. Valsecchi ME, Silbermins D, de Rosa N, Wong SL, Lyman GH. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with melanoma: a meta-analysis. J Clin Oncol. 2011 Apr 10. 29 (11):1479-87. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

33. Gershenwald JE, Tseng CH, Thompson W, Mansfield PF, Lee JE, Bouvet M. Improved sentinel lymph node localization in patients with primary melanoma with the use of radiolabeled colloid. Surgery. 1998 Aug. 124(2):203-10. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

34. Carlson GW, Murray DR, Lyles RH, Hestley A, Cohen C. Sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of cutaneous head and neck melanoma. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2005 Mar. 115(3):721-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

35. Vermeeren L, Valdés Olmos RA, Klop WM, van der Ploeg IM, Nieweg OE, Balm AJ, et al. SPECT/CT for sentinel lymph node mapping in head and neck melanoma. Head Neck. 2011 Jan. 33 (1):1-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

36. Stoffels I, Boy C, Pöppel T, Kuhn J, Klötgen K, Dissemond J, et al. Association between sentinel lymph node excision with or without preoperative SPECT/CT and metastatic node detection and disease-free survival in melanoma. JAMA. 2012 Sep 12. 308 (10):1007-14. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

37. Patel SG, Coit DG, Shaha AR, Brady MS, Boyle JO, Singh B. Sentinel lymph node biopsy for cutaneous head and neck melanomas. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2002 Mar. 128(3):285-91. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

38. Carlson GW, Murray DR, Thourani V, Hestley A, Cohen C. The definition of the sentinel lymph node in melanoma based on radioactive counts. Ann Surg Oncol. 2002 Nov. 9(9):929-33. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

39. Scolyer RA, Thompson JF, McCarthy SW, Gershenwald JE, Ross MI, Cochran AJ. Intraoperative frozen-section evaluation can reduce accuracy of pathologic assessment of sentinel nodes in melanoma patients. J Am Coll Surg. 2005 Nov. 201(5):821-3; author reply 823-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

40. Koopal SA, Tiebosch AT, Albertus Piers D, Plukker JT, Schraffordt Koops H, Hoekstra HJ. Frozen section analysis of sentinel lymph nodes in melanoma patients. Cancer. 2000 Oct 15. 89(8):1720-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

41. Tanis PJ, Boom RP, Koops HS, Faneyte IF, Peterse JL, Nieweg OE, et al. Frozen section investigation of the sentinel node in malignant melanoma and breast cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2001 Apr. 8(3):222-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

42. Alkhatib W, Hertzenberg C, Jewell W, Al-Kasspooles MF, Damjanov I, Cohen MS. Utility of frozen-section analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy specimens for melanoma in surgical decision making. Am J Surg. 2008 Dec. 196(6):827-32; discussion 832-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

43. Ariyan S, Ariyan C, Farber LR, Fischer DS, Flynn SD, Truini C. Reliability of identification of 655 sentinel lymph nodes in 263 consecutive patients with malignant melanoma. J Am Coll Surg. 2004 Jun. 198(6):924-32. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

44. Gipponi M, Solari N, Lionetto R, Di Somma C, Villa G, Schenone F. The prognostic role of the sentinel lymph node in clinically node-negative patients with cutaneous melanoma: experience of the Genoa group. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2005 Dec. 31(10):1191-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

45. Eicher SA, Clayman GL, Myers JN, Gillenwater AM. A prospective study of intraoperative lymphatic mapping for head and neck cutaneous melanoma. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2002 Mar. 128(3):241-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

46. Schmalbach CE, Nussenbaum B, Rees RS, Schwartz J, Johnson TM, Bradford CR. Reliability of sentinel lymph node mapping with biopsy for head and neck cutaneous melanoma. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2003 Jan. 129(1):61-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

47. Wells KE, Rapaport DP, Cruse CW, Payne W, Albertini J, Berman C, et al. Sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma of the head and neck. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1997 Sep. 100(3):591-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

48. Jacobs IA, Chevinsky AH, Swayne LC, Magidson JG, Britto EJ, Smith TJ. Gamma probe-directed lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymphadenectomy in primary melanoma: Reliability of the procedure and analysis of failures after long-term follow-up. J Surg Oncol. 2001 Jul. 77(3):157-64. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

49. Carlson GW, Page AJ, Cohen C, Parker D, Yaar R, Li A, et al. Regional recurrence after negative sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma. Ann Surg. 2008 Sep. 248(3):378-86. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

Amy E Somerset, MD, ABOM General and Bariatric Surgeon, Harper Bariatric Medicine Institute, General and Bariatric Surgery of Grosse Pointe; Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Amy E Somerset, MD, ABOM is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mark J Jameson, MD, PhD, FACS Medical Director, Avera Medical Group ENT/Head & Neck Surgery

Mark J Jameson, MD, PhD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Association for Cancer Research, American College of Surgeons, American Head and Neck Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Nader Sadeghi, MD, FRCSC Professor and Chairman, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University Faculty of Medicine; Chief Otolaryngologist, MUHC; Director, McGill Head and Neck Cancer Program, Royal Victoria Hospital, Canada

Nader Sadeghi, MD, FRCSC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Head and Neck Society, American Thyroid Association, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speakers bureau for: Merck.

Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA Professor of Otolaryngology, Dentistry, and Engineering, University of Colorado School of Medicine

Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Head and Neck Society

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for: Cerescan; Ryte; Neosoma; MI10<br/>Received income in an amount equal to or greater than $250 from: Neosoma; Cyberionix (CYBX)<br/>Received ownership interest from Cerescan for consulting for: Neosoma, MI10.

Mimi S Kokoska, MD Physician, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Aurora Health Care

Mimi S Kokoska, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Association for Physician Leadership, American College of Surgeons, American Head and Neck Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard D Keidan, MD Attending Surgeon, Director, Melanoma Clinic, William Beaumont Hospital

Richard D Keidan, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, Association for Academic Surgery, Society of Surgical Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Philip Fong, MD Resident Physician, Department of Surgery, William Beaumont Hospital

Philip Fong, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

William L Kestenberg, MD Surgeon, Kestenberg Surgical Group

William L Kestenberg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Thabet Abbarah, MD, FACS Consulting Staff, Department of Otolaryngology, North Oakland Medical Centers

Thabet Abbarah, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Dhananjay A Chitale, MBBS Senior Staff Pathologist, Division Head, Molecular Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Director, Tissue Biorepository, Henry Ford Hospital

Dhananjay A Chitale, MBBS is a member of the following medical societies: American Society for Clinical Pathology and College of American Pathologists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Amit Dwivedi, MD Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine

Amit Dwivedi, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Venkata Subramanian Kanthimathinathan, MD Staff Physician, Department of General Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Nafisa K Kuwajerwala, MD Staff Surgeon, Breast Care Center, William Beaumont Hospital

Nafisa K Kuwajerwala, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Society of Breast Disease, and American Society of Breast Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

What would you like to print?

• Print this section
• Print the entire contents of
• Print the entire contents of article