Does Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Increase Survival in Patients with Thick Melanoma?

This study investigated whether Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) biopsy increases survival in patients with thick melanoma. The study found that SLN biopsy was associated with an increase in disease free survival (DFS) in patients with melanoma.

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is used to identify whether tumour has started spreading to different parts of the body in patients with melanoma.  Breslow index is used to measure tumour thickness in melanoma.

A previous study found that SLN biopsy in melanoma patients with tumors of intermediate thickness (Breslow index 1–4 mm) increased disease-free survival (DFS – time of survival without signs and symptoms of cancer).

It is important to understand if SLN biopsy for thick melanomas has any impact on disease free survival.

This study analysed data previously collected from 1,211 patients with melanomas measuring over 4mm in thickness. Patient data was divided into patients who had undergone SLN biopsy and those who had not.

The SLN biopsy patient data was then further divided into SLN-positive (cancer found in lymph nodes) and SLN-negative patients.

59% of patients had undergone SLN biopsy, these patients were compared to the observational group (had not undergone SLN biopsy). Patients were significantly younger in the SLN biopsy group (58 years old) compared to patients in the observational group (65 years old).

38.8% of patients in the SLN biopsy group achieved 5-year disease free survival compared to 35.2% of patients in the observational group.The study found no difference in MSS at 5 or 10 years between the SLN biopsy group and the observational group.

58.4% of patients in the SLN biopsy group had survived 5 years after their diagnosis compared to 50.9% in the observational group. There was no significant difference in survival between the two groups at 10 years after diagnosis. Patients with a positive SLN had worse disease free survival than patients whose sentinel nodes were clear of cancer.

The study concluded that performing SLN biopsy increases disease-free survival in patients with thick melanoma and SLN results can be used to more effectively manage these patients.

This study analysed data previously collected which may have affected the results of the study.