Long-Term Regional Disease Control With Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Patients With Melanoma
Source: Science Daily, September 2022
In an analysis of the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial II reported in JAMA Surgery, Crystal et al found that patients with melanoma with sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis who were randomly assigned to observation vs completion lymph node dissection (CLND) following SLN biopsy exhibited a high rate of long-term freedom from regional recurrence.
The previously reported primary analysis of the trial showed that CLND vs observation was associated with improved regional control but not disease-specific survival (primary endpoint) at 3 years.
Study Details
In the international phase III trial, patients were randomly assigned to immediate CLND or nodal observation with clinical examination and ultrasonography. The current report provides long-term findings in 855 nodal basins in 823 patients assigned to observation.