Abstract
We analyzed 39 patients with malignant melanoma who underwent sentinel node biopsies (SNB) . To detect SN metastasis, we used central slices of the SNs for histological diagnoses and peripheral slices for genetic diagnoses. Of 26 SNs examined by both methods, genetic examination revealed metastasis in 1 SN in which histological examination couldn't detect. On the other hand, metastasis was detected in 5 SNs by histological examination without positive genetic examination. These unexpected results may be caused by the parts of the SNs from which samples were collected.
We evaluated the prognoses of the patients depending on the presence or absence of SN metastases and of lymph node dissection (LND) . Five of 15 SN metastasis (+) and LND (+) patients caused recurrence of the disease and 5 patients died. Three of 4 SN metastasis (+) and LND (-) patients also experienced recurrence of the disease and 1 patient died. No recurrence was observed in patients without SN metastasis. [Skin Cancer (Japan) 2006; 21: 151-157]
