Sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma.

Background: The most powerful predictor of survival for patients with melanoma is the status of the regional lymph nodes. Sentinel lymph node biopsy may provide improved staging accuracy without the morbidity of elective lymph node dissection (ELND).

Methods: Sixty-eight patients with intermediate thickness melanoma underwent gamma probe guided sentinel node biopsy without ELND and were followed up over a mean of 22 months.

Results: A sentinel node was found in all patients. Six patients (9%) had positive sentinel nodes; all underwent complete lymphadenectomy. Two patients (3%) with negative sentinel nodes developed nodal recurrence; 1 of these patients was found to have microscopic disease on reexamination of the sentinel node. Two patients (3%) developed systemic disease.

Conclusion: Gamma probe guided sentinel node biopsy can be performed with a high rate of technical success. It provides accurate pathological staging with a low incidence of nodal basin failure.