title: Melanoma staging: facts and controversies.
abstract: The value of staging examinations remains controversial for the initial staging in melanoma patients at the time of the primary diagnosis and for surveillance. Issues concerning tumor recurrences and progression must be discussed separately for different risk groups. For low-risk patients (stage IA; tumor thickness less than 1 mm), staging examinations like sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), blood tests, or imaging can generally be abandoned. Baseline staging with simple techniques is at the discretion of the physician. In intermediate-risk patients (stages IB and IIA), an initial staging examination involving SLNB and computed tomography (CT) scans is recommended. Further follow-up may be restricted to physical examinations, blood tests of tumor marker protein S100beta, and to lymph node ultrasonography. If findings are suspicious, further imaging procedures may be involved. In high-risk patients (stages IIB to III), an initial staging examination with CT is recommended, and regular follow-up every 6 months with whole body imaging by CT or magnetic resonance imaging seems useful. Physical examinations, blood tests of tumor marker protein S100beta, and lymph node ultrasound imaging should be routine. This intense follow-up may enable surgical treatments with complete removal of all recognizable metastases in about 15% to 25% of patients and improve their prognosis. The risk of recurrence or tumor progression is very high in stage IV patients, and their management is individualized.
authors.affiliation: Center for Dermato-Oncology, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forschner
authors.forename: Thomas Kurt
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Eigentler
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pflugfelder
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Leiter
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weide
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Held
authors.forename: Friedegund
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garbe
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009418:S100 Proteins