Principles of surgical treatment of malignant melanoma

Charles W Kimbrough; Kelly M McMasters; Eric G Davis

doi:10.1016/j.suc.2014.07.002

Principles of surgical treatment of malignant melanoma

Surg Clin North Am. 2014 Oct;94(5):973-88, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.suc.2014.07.002. Epub 2014 Aug 15.

Authors

Charles W Kimbrough¹, Kelly M McMasters¹, Eric G Davis²

Affiliations

¹ The Hiram C. Polk, Jr. Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 550 South Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
² The Hiram C. Polk, Jr. Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 550 South Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. Electronic address: egdavi01@louisville.edu.

PMID: 25245962
DOI: 10.1016/j.suc.2014.07.002

Abstract

Although melanoma represents less than 5% of all skin cancers, it is responsible for the bulk of skin cancer-related deaths. Nevertheless, despite this aggressive reputation, most patients with cutaneous melanoma will be surgically cured of their disease. Early detection allows for curative resection, and 5-year survival for all stages of melanoma is 91%. This review outlines the surgical treatment of melanoma, including principles of wide local excision and management of the regional lymph nodes.

Keywords: Completion lymphadenectomy; Melanoma; Sentinel lymph node biopsy; Wide local excision.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Female
Humans
Lymph Node Excision / methods
Lymphatic Metastasis
Male
Melanoma / pathology
Melanoma / surgery*
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / methods
Skin Neoplasms / pathology
Skin Neoplasms / surgery*