Melanoma thickness and histology predict sentinel lymph node status.
BACKGROUND
It remains unclear which patients with melanoma will benefit most from lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymphadenectomy. The purpose of this study is to determine whether primary melanoma histopathologic features could be applied to predict sentinel node status.


METHODS
One hundred twelve patients underwent sentinel node biopsy between May 1995 and August 1999. Reported histologic features were assessed for predictive value by univariate and multivariate logistic regression.


RESULTS
The sentinel node was located successfully in 105 of the 112 patients (94%). Twenty-one of these 105 patients (20%) had sentinel nodes that were positive for metastatic disease. Multivariate analyses revealed that tumor thickness greater than 1.5 mm (P = 0.01), ulceration (P <0.01), and lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.05) predicted the presence of micrometastases.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of unfavorable histopathology such as ulceration and lymphovascular invasion may identify a group of patients with thin melanomas who would benefit from sentinel lymphadenectomy.
Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 96 Jonathan Lucas Street, P.O. Box 250613, 29425, Charleston, SC, USA.
C L
CL
Nguyen
E F
EF
McClay
D J
DJ
Cole
P H
PH
O'Brien
W E
WE
Gillanders
J S
JS
Metcalf
J C
JC
Maize
P L
PL
Baron
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*