Malignant melanoma: a search for occult lymph node metastases.
Lymph nodes regarded as "negative" following routine pathologic examination were reexamined in seven patients with malignant melanoma who later developed systemic metastases. A total of 185 lymph nodes were serially sectioned; five to seven levels of each lymph node were examined for the presence of occult metastases. In this manner previously undetected tumor was found within a solitary lymph node of one patient. It is concluded that attempts to detect occult melanoma metastases by routine serial sectioning of lymph nodes is not of practical applicability.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*