Truncal Melanoma

  • Truncal melanomas:
    • Have a higher rate of mapping on lymphoscintigraphy:
      • To multiple lymph node basins
  • McHugh et al. (2006):
    • Found 23% of patients with primary truncal melanomas:
      • To have multiple lymphatic basin drainage
  • Other series have described a rate of multiple lymphatic basin drainage for truncal melanomas:
    • Between 29% to 46%
  • The standard of care and rationale for preoperative lymphoscintigraphy:
    • It assists with identifying patients with multiple lymphatic basins:
      • When identified, a sentinel node biopsy should be performed in each basin
  • References:
    • Jacobs IA, Chang CK, Salti GI. Significance of dual-basin drainage in patients with truncal melanoma undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2003;49:615-619.
    • Porter GA, Ross MI, Berman RS, Lee JE, Mansfield PF, Gershenwald JE. Significance of multiple nodal basin drainage in truncal melanoma patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy. Ann Surg Oncol. 2000;7:256-261.
    • McHugh JB, Su L, Griffith KA, et al. Significance of multiple lymphatic basin drainage in truncal melanoma patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy. Ann Surg Oncol. 2006;13:1216-1223.

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