Long-term results of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology in conjunction with sentinel node biopsy support step-wise approach in melanoma.

Background: US-FNAC is a common diagnostic tool in the work-up of many cancers. Results in melanoma were initially poor (sensitivity 20-40%). Introduction of the Berlin Morphology criteria has shown potential improvement up to 65-80% in selected patients.

Effects of time interval between primary melanoma excision and sentinel node biopsy on positivity rate and survival.

Background: Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is essential for adequate melanoma staging. Most melanoma guidelines advocate to perform wide local excision and SNB as soon as possible, causing time pressure.

Objective: To investigate the role of time interval between melanoma diagnosis and SNB on sentinel node (SN) positivity and survival.

The interval between primary melanoma excision and sentinel node biopsy is not associated with survival in sentinel node positive patients - An EORTC Melanoma Group study.

Background: Worldwide, sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is the recommended staging procedure for stage I/II melanoma. Most melanoma guidelines recommend re-excision plus SNB as soon as possible after primary excision. To date, there is no evidence to support this timeframe.

Ultrasound of the sentinel node in melanoma patients: echo-free island is a discriminatory morphologic feature for node positivity.

Unlike breast and thyroid cancer, the use of ultrasound (US)-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for preoperative staging is limited in melanoma. New US morphology criteria have shown that US-FNAC can correctly identify 50% of all involved sentinel nodes (SN) in melanoma patients before surgical excision. The aim of this study was to examine a new criterion: the echo-free island (EFI).