title: Weighing the value of completion nodal dissection for melanoma.
abstract: In the United States, approximately half of patients with a positive sentinel lymph node biopsy undergo a completion lymphadenectomy. Because of the equivocal survival benefits in pursuing a completion lymphadenectomy in these patients, surgeons must weigh the postoperative morbidity of the operation with concerns facing a patient's quality of life and risk of tumor recurrence. We discuss the value of a completion lymphadenectomy in light of the uncertainties facing this management strategy for melanoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:281-287. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, American College of Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois.|Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Jason B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, American College of Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois.|Department of Surgery, Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Karl Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Bilimoria
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: lymphadenectomy; melanoma; sentinel lymph node; value