title: Lymphatic mapping for melanomas of the upper extremity.
abstract: Over a period of 4 years, 127 consecutive patients with upper extremity melanomas were identified from a prospectively accrued database. A protocol consisting of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative lymphatic mapping and with a vital blue dye and radiocolloid was used; the protocol had a 98% success rate of identifying the sentinel lymph node (SLN). Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy identified unpredictable cutaneous lymphatic flow in 15 (12%) of the patients. These discordant areas would not have been included in classic regional node dissection and possible sites of metastatic disease would not have been identified. Metastatic disease was identified within the SLNs in 12 (9%) of the patients. Of the 12 patients with a positive SLN, 2 (17%) were found on complete node dissection to have metastatic disease in higher nodes in the regional basin. The SLN was the only site of disease in 10 of these 12 patients with documented metastases in the regional basin. Patients with a negative SLN biopsy can be spared the morbidity and expense of a complete lymph node dissection.
authors.affiliation: Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa 33614, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brobeil
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cruse
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reintgen
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm; D004396:Coloring Agents; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C025484:iso-sulfan blue