Melanoma In Situ of Smaller Size Has Low Recurrence With 5-mm Margin for Excision
Source: Oncology Nurse Advisor, September 2024
Excision with 5-mm margins for melanoma in situ that is less than 10 mm in size on low-risk body sites is associated with a low recurrence rate, according to a study published in JAMA Dermatology.
In a retrospective case series study, researchers reviewed all melanoma in situ lesions diagnosed from January 1, 2011, to November 30, 2018, at a single dermatology practice in Queensland, Australia. The researchers aimed to determine the utility of excision with a 5-mm margin on the recurrence of melanoma in situ of smaller size (<10 mm) on low-risk body sites. Lesions with undocumented margins, those with less than 5 years of site-specific follow-up after wide local excision, and those needing more than 1 wide local excision were excluded.
A total of 351 melanoma in situ lesions were included in the analysis, representing 292 unique patients (mean [SD] age, 60.3 [11.8] years; women, 55.5%). The mean lesion dimension was 6×5 mm, with 274 (78.1%) lesions having a length less than 10 mm and 312 (88.9%) having a width less than 10 mm.