title: [The role of surgery in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma].
abstract: Historically, melanoma patients were subject to wide local excisions and elective lymph node dissections. Both approaches were the focus of intense scrutiny in the past three decades, and many surgical dogmas were abolished. The role of surgery in providing local control over the primary tumor is largely undisputed. In addition, the surgical management strategies of the regional lymph nodes have undergone considerable change in the past; with lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node identification being the most relevant contribution, allowing selection of patients for adjuvant treatment (completion lymph node dissection, Interferon therapy). Surgery has also a place in palliative treatment of isolated systemic metastases for selected cases with good performance status in Stage IV melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Plastische Chirurgie und Handchirurgie, Universitätsspital Zürich. merlin.guggenheim@usz.ch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guggenheim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dummer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giovanoli
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007372:Interferons