Surgery for primary cutaneous malignant melanoma.

In summary, we believe that in the following situations elective regional lymph node dissection should not usually be performed: Patients whose primary malignant melanomas are in situ or have a maximal thickness of less than 1.0 mm. The incidence of regional node metastases in the latter group is so low that regional lymph node dissection is not justified. Patients whose primary malignant melanomas are in the midline of the head and neck or the trunk. Bilateral nodal dissections in these two regions of the body in the absence of a clearly demonstrable therapeutic advantage are not justified. Whether radioisotopic localizing studies will add greater definition to this group remains to be seen. Elderly patients or those with serious intercurrent disease. They should not undergo elective nodal dissection unless the primary malignant melanoma is very thick and lies directly over its nodal group. Patients with systemic metastases. For all remaining patients, the therapeutic or at very least prognostic advantages of elective regional lymph node dissections have been outlined. Conversely, an adverse effect on the course of the disease has never been demonstrated. We adhere to a policy that includes these procedures as primary therapy, provided they are performed with minimal morbidity. Should a surgeon elect not to perform such a procedure in the absence of clinically suspicious lymphadenopathy, careful clinical evaluation at 2-month intervals for the first 2 to 3 years following primary excision, with more prolonged intervals thereafter, would appear prudent. Until such time as effective means of eradicating systemic metastatic malignant melanoma exist, surgery remains the treatment of choice for this potentially fatal neoplasm. Efforts to develop effective adjuvant treatment based on the precise means of delineating prognosis that have thus far been developed has eluded investigators. A reasoned surgical approach is still required in our judgment until the identification and treatment of premalignant precursor lesions are universal or effective systemic therapy is available.