Post-surgical recurrence of melanoma : Implications for follow-up guidelines

Abstract

We retrospectively investigated the post-surgical recurrence of melanoma treated at Niigata Cancer Center Hospital between 1989 and 2011. The recurrence rate was 36% (stage I, 14% ; stage II, 34% ; stage III, 66%) and the median recurrence-free survival time was 12 months. The sites of initial recurrence were local (8%), in-transit (27%), regional lymph nodes (35%), and distant organs (30%). Initial recurrences were detected by patients (42%) and doctors (53%). There are no definite follow-up recommendations for melanoma thus far. However, recently approved new agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and molecular-targeted agents, have proven to be effective for patients exhibiting low tumor burden and few metastatic organ sites. We need to reconsider the treatment strategy for melanoma, including post-surgical follow-up schedules to facilitate the earliest possible detection of recurrences.[Skin Cancer (Japan) 2017 ; 32 : 261-265]