title: Therapeutic node dissections in malignant melanoma.
abstract: In the absence of distant disease, therapeutic node dissections in malignant melanoma, i.e., dissections of regional nodal basins for palpable suspicious or biopsy-proven positive nodes, offer the chance of cure. The 5-year survival rates after therapeutic lymphadenectomy closely correlate with expected cure rates. Although they varied greatly in the literature, from 19% to 38%, the currently obtainable survival rates are in the upper ranges of this spectrum because patients now are closely followed-up and operated for early palpable nodal disease. Properly done, these procedures carry a low morbidity, but they should be done thoroughly to completely eradicate regional disease and avoid recurrences in the same nodal basin to achieve the maximum survival that is surgically attainable.
authors.affiliation: State University of New York at Buffalo, Millard Fillmore Health System, 14209, USA.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Karakousis
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla / Q000601:surgery; D006119:Groin / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*