The value of preoperative screening procedures in stage I and II malignant melanoma.
Fifty patients with melanoma (30 with clinical Stage I disease and 20 with clinical Stage II disease) were analyzed retrospectively along with the screening test done prior to surgery. While the value of the chest X ray is unquestioned in preoperative screening, the same cannot be said of liver, brain, and bone scans. The bone marrow biopsy, however, done with a Janshidi needle was of value in detecting one patient with bone-marrow metastases who on examination had clinical Stage II disease and precluded surgery in this same individual. Therefore, we feel that in the preoperative scanning of patients with Stage I or Stage II human malignant melanoma, and especially in the latter, the bone-marrow biopsy should be done routinely in addition to a hematological profile, liver profile, and chest X ray.
D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery