Groin dissection in malignant melanoma.

One hundred seventeen patients with malignant melanoma who had groin dissection were reviewed. The estimated 5 year survival rate for patients with node involvement was 40 percent. For patients with involved inguinal nodes only, the 5 year survival rate was 47 percent. The estimated 5 year survival rate for patients with clinically enlarged and histologically involved nodes was 37 percent and the incidence of involved deep nodes in this group was 44 percent. For patients with clinical and histologic involvement of the inguinal and deep nodes, the estimated 5 year survival rate was 30 percent. In patients with clinical involvement of the inguinal nodes, radical groin dissection with in-continuity removal of the deep nodes appeared to improve the previously reported survival rates.