title: Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with thin melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define the percentage of positive sentinel lymph node biopsies and identify risk factors for the presence of lymph node disease in patients with melanomas less than or equal to 1 mm in depth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St Louis, Mo, a melanoma referral center with outpatient surgical care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six patients with melanomas less than or equal to 1 mm in depth undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy at our institution between 1996 and 2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The procedure was well tolerated and there were no reported complications. Of the 46 patients, 3 (7%) (95% exact confidence interval, 1.3%-17.8%) were found to have positive sentinel lymph nodes or micrometastatic disease. The finding of a positive sentinel lymph node was associated with a Clark level of III or more (P< or =.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conclusions from this study are limited by the small sample size. The results of our study suggest that sentinel lymph node biopsy of patients with melanomas less than or equal to 1 mm in depth may be indicated when the Clark level is III or more.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Dermatology and Surgical Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Julie B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.forename: Jeffrey F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Moley
authors.forename: Lynn A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cornelius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*