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Prediction of Nonsentinel Lymph Node Status in Melanoma

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Abstract

Background: Most melanoma patients with a positive sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) undergo a completion lymph node dissection (CLND) that does not yield additional positive nonsentinel lymph nodes (NSLN). This study was designed to determine if NSLN status can be predicted using patient, primary tumor, and sentinel lymph node (SLN) characteristics.

Methods: The study population includes melanoma patients who had a positive SLND and subsequently underwent CLND retrieved from our prospective institutional melanoma database. The primary tumor and SLN pathologies were prospectively determined. An Size/Ulceration (SU) score was derived by assigning 1 point for primary tumor ulceration and 1 point for SLN tumor size >2 mm.

Results: Ninety-eight patients had a positive SLND and underwent CLND. Sixteen of these patients had a positive NSLN. On univariate analysis, primary tumor characteristics (thickness, ulceration, no regression), SLN metastasis characteristics (size >2 mm, location nonsubcapsular), and SU score were all significantly associated with positive NSLN status. However, on multivariate analysis, only the SU score was a significant independent predictor of NSLN status. No patient with an SU score of 0 had a positive NSLN.

Conclusions: The SU score is predictive of NSLN status in patients with a positive SLND. Patients with an SU score of 0 are very unlikely to have positive NSLNs at CLND.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Loma Linda University and VA Medical Centers, Loma Linda, California

    Mark E. Reeves MD, PhD

  2. Departments of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York

    Mary S. Brady MD & Daniel G. Coit MD

  3. Departments of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York

    Ruby Delgado MD & Klaus J. Busam MD

  4. Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY, 10021

    Daniel G. Coit MD

Authors
  1. Mark E. Reeves MD, PhD
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  2. Ruby Delgado MD
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  3. Klaus J. Busam MD
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  4. Mary S. Brady MD
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  5. Daniel G. Coit MD
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Correspondence to Daniel G. Coit MD.

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Reeves, M.E., Delgado, R., Busam, K.J. et al. Prediction of Nonsentinel Lymph Node Status in Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol 10, 27–31 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1245/ASO.2003.03.020

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/ASO.2003.03.020

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