Dominant lymph drainage in the facial region: evaluation of lymph nodes of facial melanoma patients.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the superficial lymph drainage patterns from primary lesions, with the primary focus on cheek/eyelid and lip melanomas.

METHOD: We conducted a retrospective study of 22 patients with facial melanomas who had undergone neck dissection or sentinel lymph node biopsy at the hospital from 1981 to April 2011. We then analyzed the dominant lymph drainage patterns from the cheek/eyelid and lip regions.

RESULTS

The cheek/eyelid regions have two lymph drainage patterns: one is to the parotid nodes and the other is to level IB. The lymph drainage patterns in the lip region are to level IA or IB. The lymph drainage patterns to superficial lymph nodes from the primary sites were determined in both regions.

CONCLUSIONS

Cheek/eyelid and lip melanomas have lymph drainage patterns different from those of malignant tumors of the oropharyngeal and larynx regions. Superficial lymph node groups also play an important role in facial melanomas.