Invasive Melanoma Management
Source: Dermatology Times, October 2022
Kimberly Ken, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Penn State University, discussed crucial methods for advanced melanoma management.
At the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) Annual Meeting, Kimberly Ken, MD, discussed how dermatologists can effectively manage advanced stages of melanoma.1 Ken pointed out that it’s crucial to keep an eye on invasive melanoma, as there are predicted to be approximately 100,000 new cases of invasive melanoma in the United States in 2022, and the numbers will continue to rise.
Ken’s presentation focused on 3 main topics: sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), imaging, and systemic therapy. Beginning with SLNBs, the biopsies are meant to accurately stage patients through pathologic assessments of the regional nodal basins and provide prognostic information. In clinical stage I or II melanomas, SLNBs are one of the most important prognostic factors for patients. Finally, SLNBs can impact future therapies by encouraging dermatologists to consider if they will offer adjuvant therapy, ultrasound monitoring of the nodal basin, or follow-up with surveillance imaging.