The utility of ICG fluorescence for sentinel lymph node identification in head and neck melanoma.

Purpose: Perform an evidence-based review to determine the utility of indocyanine green fluorescence (ICG) to detect sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in patients with head and neck melanoma compared to blue dye or radiocolloid injection (RI).

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify patients with head and neck melanoma managed with ICG fluorescence. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched.

Using global gene expression to discriminate thin melanomas with poor outcomes.

Most melanomas present as thin lesions (≤1.0 mm) with a good prognosis; however, a small percentage of patients with thin lesions experience recurrence or metastasis. The aim of our study was to identify a distinct pattern of gene expression within thin melanomas known to have eventually metastasized to regional lymph nodes or distant sites compared with those that followed the typical course with good response to wide local excision alone.

Gene expression differences predict treatment outcome of merkel cell carcinoma patients.

Due to the rarity of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), prospective clinical trials have not been practical. This study aimed to identify biomarkers with prognostic significance. While sixty-two patients were identified who were treated for MCC at our institution, only seventeen patients had adequate formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival tissue and followup to be included in the study.

An analysis of fine needle aspiration versus core needle biopsy in clinically palpable breast lesions: a report on the predictive values and a cost comparison.

Background: Although fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is an established tool in the biopsy of breast masses, there has been a trend toward using core-needle biopsy (CNB). The aim of this study was to determine whether FNA has comparable predictive value with CNB and whether FNA is more cost effective.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 162 patients who underwent either FNA or CNB of palpable breast lesions and had histologic confirmation with surgical biopsy in calendar year 2005.