title: Rationale for complete metastasectomy in patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma.
abstract: Patients with stage IV melanoma have usually been treated with systemic therapies; however, the overall survival for patients with this approach is disappointing. A complete surgical resection of metastatic disease to stage IV sites offers the best chance to maximize survival. This review article will present data supporting the position that if a complete metastasectomy is technically feasible, then surgery should be strongly considered the first option for properly selected patients with stage IV melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. david_ollila@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ollila
authors.forename: Ana L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gleisner
authors.forename: Eddy C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Hsueh
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001691:Biological Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents