565 results match your criteria: "The Role of Sentinel Node Biopsy in Skin Cancer"
Melanoma of the external auditory canal: case report and systematic literature review.
Pathologica
June 2024
ENT Department, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
Article Synopsis
- - Melanoma of the external auditory canal (EAC) is rare and poorly understood, with this systematic review analyzing 30 patient cases to provide insights on management and survival, adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
- - The review finds that Breslow thickness's influence on surgical decisions is unclear due to insufficient data, and both sentinel lymph node biopsy and adjuvant therapies are rarely used, highlighting the need for standardized treatment protocols.
- - Overall, patients show a 50% survival rate at 5 years, indicating that EAC melanoma is an aggressive cancer, with surgical options like wide local excision and lateral temporal bone resection as primary treatments for those without metastatic disease.
Porocarcinoma: Clinical and Histological Features, Immunohistochemistry and Outcomes: A Systematic Review.
Int J Mol Sci
May 2024
Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Article Synopsis
- Porocarcinoma (PC) is a rare skin tumor primarily affecting older adults, originating from sweat glands and associated with a high risk of metastasis.
- Differentiating PC from squamous cell carcinoma can be challenging, but markers like NUT expression and YAP1 fusions aid in diagnosis.
- Treatment typically involves wide local excision, with Mohs surgery as a potential alternative; systemic therapies like pembrolizumab show promise, but guidelines for lymph node biopsy and radiotherapy are lacking.
Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology recommendations on Merkel cell carcinoma surgical treatment.
J Surg Oncol
September 2024
Surgical Oncology Service, Base Hospital of Federal District, Federal District, Brasília, Brazil.
Article Synopsis
- - Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer with low survival rates, primarily treated through surgery and radiation, as highlighted by the Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology's guidelines on its management.
- - The consensus emphasizes the importance of comprehensive staging, including imaging techniques like PET or CT scans, and recommends that all potential MCC cases be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team, including discussions in tumor boards to prevent treatment delays.
- - For early-stage patients (clinical stage I or II), local excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy are advised, while those with positive lymph nodes should receive radiation therapy, and advanced cases should consider participation in clinical trials for treatment options.
Management of Localized Melanoma in the Anti-PD-1 Era.
Curr Oncol Rep
August 2024
Melanoma Institute Australia, 40 Rocklands Road, Wollstonecraft, North Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2060, Australia.
Article Synopsis
- The management of localized cutaneous melanoma has advanced significantly due to new systemic therapies, necessitating an updated review of treatment strategies.
- Recent clinical trials, like the SWOG1801, show that combining neoadjuvant and adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy improves survival rates compared to traditional methods.
- Future trials, such as the upcoming phase 3 Nadina trial, are expected to further refine the role of surgery and systemic treatments in melanoma, potentially decreasing the necessity for extensive surgical procedures.
Evaluating the role of level 3 axillary lymph node dissection in metastatic melanoma: Can we predict involvement?
J Surg Oncol
June 2024
USF Health, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida, USA.
Article Synopsis
- - MSLT-2 and DECOG-SLT trials showed that immediate complete axillary lymph node dissection (CLND) does not improve melanoma-specific survival compared to active observation, leading to a change in practice toward performing CLND only for clinically confirmed node-positive patients.
- - A study reviewed 95 patients who underwent CLND for melanoma from 2014 to 2022, finding only 7.3% had level III lymph node positivity, with a small number influenced by neoadjuvant therapy, and no predictive factors for level III involvement identified.
- - Patients without level III involvement had better overall and recurrence-free survival rates compared to those with level III positivity, prompting further research into prognostic factors that
Inflammatory breast cancer: As surgical oncologists, what can we do?
Int Rev Cell Mol Biol
April 2024
Department of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute, Bab Saadoun, Tunis, Tunisia; Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.
Article Synopsis
- - Breast cancer surgery is the main treatment for early-stage cases, but inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) requires a different approach due to its aggressive nature and skin involvement.
- - IBC management involves a coordinated effort from oncologists, surgeons, and radiation therapists, with radical surgery still being the standard, although some advocate for conservative options after chemotherapy.
- - The reliability of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in IBC patients remains uncertain, and more prospective studies are needed to enhance treatment strategies considering individual tumor characteristics and responses.
Sentinel lymph node risk prognostication in primary cutaneous melanoma through tissue-based profiling, potentially redefining the need for sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Eur J Cancer
May 2024
University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany; Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) is crucial for staging cutaneous melanoma, and this review evaluates advanced molecular testing methods like gene expression profiling (GEP) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for predicting sentinel lymph node prognosis compared to traditional approaches.
- The importance of identifying high-risk melanoma patients is increasing as advancements in therapy reduce the need for SLNB, and molecular testing platforms such as DecisionDx and Merlin Assay are under validation for clinical use.
- Despite their promise, many tissue-based molecular tests face methodological challenges like small sample sizes and poor correlation with established clinical variables, leading to limited implementation in practice.
Lymphatic drainage of sinonasal malignancies and the role of sentinel node biopsies.
Orphanet J Rare Dis
March 2024
Department of Otorhinolarnygology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
Background: Locoregional recurrence is a critical factor in the prognosis of sinonasal malignancies. Due to the rarity of these tumours, as well as the heterogeneity of histologies and anatomical subsites, there is little evidence regarding the rate and location of regional metastases in sinonasal malignancies. Elective regional lymph node dissection in the therapy of sinonasal malignancies has become controversial.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInvestigation of prognostic factors for non-sentinel lymph node metastasis in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy for cutaneous malignant melanoma: Experience from a reference centre in Turkey.
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg
April 2024
Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa, Istanbul 34700, Turkey. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- - The study analyzed the effectiveness of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and completion lymph node dissection (CLND) in melanoma patients to understand factors linked to positive non-sentinel nodes, based on 110 cases over 7 years.
- - Results showed that 34.5% of SLNBs were positive, and higher Breslow thickness and characteristics like perinodal invasion were associated with a greater risk of non-sentinel node metastasis.
- - The authors emphasize the need for more studies in diverse populations to adapt findings from this cohort and address related issues in melanoma treatment.
Investigating the role of tumour-to-skin proximity in predicting nodal metastasis in breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Res Treat
May 2024
Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
Article Synopsis
- - This study examines how the distance between breast tumors and the skin affects the likelihood of lymph node involvement in breast cancer patients, which is crucial for treatment planning and survival rates.
- - Data from 100 patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed, finding that larger tumor sizes, estrogen receptor positivity, and shorter tumor-to-skin distances were linked to a higher risk of nodal metastasis.
- - The results indicate that tumors closer to the skin have a greater chance of spreading to lymph nodes, suggesting that pre-operative assessments could help tailor treatment strategies to better address cancer spread.
The role of micrometastasis in high-risk skin cancers.
Australas J Dermatol
March 2024
Independent Scholar.
Article Synopsis
- The tendency for solid cancers to spread (metastasize) is crucial for determining patient prognosis, and recent findings show that micrometastases can develop much earlier than previously recognized.
- There is a complex interaction between blood vessel (vascular) and lymphatic spread of cancer cells that can begin before a primary tumor is even detectable, indicating cancer may be more systemic than localized.
- The current cancer staging methods may need updates to accurately reflect cancer presence in different areas of the body, and early therapies for small-scale cancer spread could help prevent more severe disease later on, especially in high-risk cases like skin cancer.
Current surgical management for melanoma.
J Dermatol
March 2024
Department of Skin Oncology/Dermatology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, Japan.
Article Synopsis
- Melanoma is a serious skin cancer with a high death rate, but recent advancements in treatment, like immune checkpoint inhibitors, are changing the landscape of care.
- New therapies are being used after surgery for certain stages of melanoma and have shown promise in trials, especially for patients with affected lymph nodes.
- While innovative therapies may reduce the need for surgery in some cases, surgical procedures remain crucial for early-stage treatment and determining disease severity.
Multicentre experience from tertiary skin cancer units on the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with pT1b melanoma.
Clin Exp Dermatol
April 2024
Department of Dermatology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Histopathologic regression in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy is associated with favorable survival and, after metastasis, with improved progression-free survival on immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: A single-institutional cohort study.
J Am Acad Dermatol
April 2024
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland; Department of Dermatology, Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Article Synopsis
- Histopathologic regression of cutaneous melanoma is viewed as a positive indicator for patient prognosis, though its clinical relevance is still debated.
- A study analyzed data from 1179 melanoma patients (2010-2015) undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy, finding that those with regression had significantly better outcomes, including lower relapse and metastasis rates.
- Regression was linked to favorable survival rates in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors but did not demonstrate the same benefits for those undergoing targeted therapy or chemotherapy.
Primary Melanoma Histopathologic Predictors of Sentinel Lymph Node Positivity: A Proposed Scoring System for Risk Assessment and Patient Selection in a Clinical Setting.
Medicina (Kaunas)
October 2023
Clinic for Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Article Synopsis
- The study emphasizes the importance of selecting the right candidates for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) to minimize surgical risks and determine eligibility for additional treatments in melanoma patients.
- Researchers analyzed 101 primary melanoma patients, focusing on various clinical and histologic factors that might predict positive SLNB results.
- Key findings indicated that factors like increased Breslow thickness, higher mitotic index, and ulceration significantly correlated with positive SLN results, leading to the development of a scoring system to improve patient selection for SLNB.
Role of Concurrent Ultrasound Surveillance of Sentinel Node-Positive Node Fields in Melanoma Patients Having Routine Cross-Sectional Imaging.
Ann Surg Oncol
March 2024
Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on sentinel node-positive melanoma patients who are monitored using active surveillance with ultrasound rather than undergoing additional surgery (CLND).
- Out of 225 patients studied, 36% experienced recurrences, but only a small fraction (11%) recurred in the node-positive field and the detection methods varied among imaging techniques.
- Results indicate that since all ultrasound-detected recurrences were also seen on CT/PET/CT, routine ultrasound may not be necessary for patients already receiving regular imaging.
Harold Gillies, pioneer of modern plastic surgery, and Donald Morton, pioneer of modern surgical oncology: Master problem-solvers and surgical role models.
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg
December 2023
Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, North Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Division of Surgery, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Harold Gillies and Donald Morton were groundbreaking figures in plastic surgery and surgical oncology, respectively, known for innovative solutions to pressing medical issues.
- Gillies focused on reconstructing injuries in World War I veterans, establishing foundational techniques in plastic surgery, while Morton developed the sentinel lymph node biopsy to manage melanoma more effectively.
- Their individual contributions highlight the importance of problem-solving in surgery, inspiring current and future surgeons to emulate their approaches in clinical practice.
Article Synopsis
- Geographic location significantly impacts health literacy and access to care, with a specific focus on how these factors affect melanoma diagnosis and severity in South Dakotans.
- The study involved a review of medical records from a Midwest dermatology practice, assessing the relationship between rural versus urban living and melanoma severity, using statistical analyses.
- Results showed that while most patients had access to primary care, distance from care was initially linked to melanoma severity, but this relationship was not robust after further examination of outliers.
Modern Approach to Melanoma Adjuvant Treatment with Anti-PD1 Immune Check Point Inhibitors or Targeted Therapy: Multicenter Real-World Report.
Cancers (Basel)
September 2023
Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzed data from 248 melanoma patients in advanced stages (III and IV) who received adjuvant therapies at eight medical centers between February 2019 and January 2021.
- Patients were treated with either anti-PD1 therapies (nivolumab or pembrolizumab) or a combination of dabrafenib and trametinib, showing two-year survival rates of 86.7% for overall survival, 61.4% for relapse-free survival, and 70.2% for distant-metastases-free survival.
- The findings suggest that adjuvant therapies are effective outside of clinical trials and support the idea of reducing the extent of surgery in melanoma treatment.
Omission of Completion Lymph Node Dissection in Sentinel Node Biopsy Positive Head and Neck Cutaneous Melanoma Patients.
Ann Surg Oncol
November 2023
Division of Surgical Oncology, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
Article Synopsis
- Recent studies suggest there's no significant difference in long-term survival between head and neck melanoma patients receiving only sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) versus those also undergoing completion lymph node dissection (CLND).
- An analysis of 634 patients with SLNB+ showed similar overall survival rates in both treatment groups, regardless of various risk factors like lymphovascular invasion, comorbidities, or whether patients received immunotherapy.
- The findings indicate that for HN melanoma patients, CLND does not necessarily improve outcomes over SLNB alone, highlighting the need for more research to clarify the role of CLND in treatment.
Prognostic Significance of Sentinel Lymph Node Status in Thick Primary Melanomas (> 4 mm).
Ann Surg Oncol
December 2023
Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Article Synopsis
- Key factors for staging primary cutaneous melanoma include Breslow thickness, ulceration, and sentinel lymph node (SLN) status, with SLN status being crucial for patients with intermediate-thickness melanoma (1-4 mm).
- A study analyzed data from 10,491 patients with melanoma in Sweden, focusing on those with Breslow thickness greater than 4 mm (pT4), finding that 34% had positive SLN results and highlighting significant differences in melanoma-specific survival (MSS) based on SLN status.
- The results suggest that SLN status remains a valuable prognostic indicator for thick melanoma cases, prompting a recommendation for updated clinical guidelines to include this information.
Sentinel lymph node assessment in melanoma: current state and future directions.
Histopathology
November 2023
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Article Synopsis
- Assessing sentinel lymph node status is crucial for melanoma patients for understanding prognosis and treatment options, with pathologists playing a key role in this evaluation.
- Various methods have been used to measure tumor burden in sentinel lymph nodes over the years, but no single method is currently reliable enough to be the sole predictor of prognosis.
- The management of patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes has evolved towards a more conservative approach for certain cases, and this review explores past practices, current methodologies, and potential future directions based on clinical trials.
Invasive Cutaneous Melanoma: Evaluating the Prognostic Significance of Some Parameters Associated with Lymph Node Metastases.
Medicina (Kaunas)
July 2023
Department of Microscopic Morphology-Morphopatology, ANAPATMOL Research Center, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigated the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with invasive cutaneous melanomas and aimed to determine the prognostic factors affecting the spread of cancer to lymph nodes.
- A total of 79 patients were reviewed, revealing significant findings such as 58.3% having a Breslow tumor thickness greater than 2 mm and 43.1% experiencing lymph node metastases.
- Key prognostic factors identified included Breslow thickness >2 mm, high Clark level, high mitotic rates, and ulceration, suggesting that even some less aggressive melanomas may still evolve unexpectedly, necessitating careful patient monitoring.
Virtual reality-based training and pre-operative planning for head and neck sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Am J Otolaryngol
November 2023
School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sheba Arrow Project, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for enhancing pre-operative planning and training in sentinel lymph node biopsies (SLNB) for head and neck skin cancer patients.
- Surgeons who participated rated the accuracy of the VR model highly (8.3/10), and 76% of residents felt more confident after using the simulation.
- The results suggest that VR can effectively support surgical planning and resident training, but more research is needed to fully understand its practical applications.
Role of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Skin Cancer Based on Clinical Studies.
Cancers (Basel)
June 2023
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan.
Article Synopsis
- The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node affected by a primary tumor, and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) is a procedure that helps detect hidden cancer spread with minimal risks.
- The MSLT-I trial showed that SLNB offers a prognostic advantage for melanoma patients, although its benefits for nonmelanoma skin cancers are not well established due to a lack of comprehensive studies.
- SLNB is widely practiced in treating skin cancers—both melanoma and nonmelanoma—providing crucial information about nodal status, but it's not routinely recommended for all skin cancer patients, and its usage and effectiveness varies by cancer type.