CHICAGO – Complete lymph node dissection did not improve survival in a prospective, randomized trial of 483 patients with stage III melanoma and micrometastases in their sentinel lymph node biopsies.
After nearly 3 years of follow-up, the point at which 80% of melanoma recurrences take place, patients in an observation group had outcomes similar to those of patients who underwent complete lymph node dissection.
The findings mark “the beginning of the end” for complete lymph node dissection in melanoma patients with micrometastases in sentinal lymph nodes, Dr. Claus Garbe said at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology.
Watch our video interview to learn more about the study and its likely impact on clinical guidelines for patients with melanoma and micrometastases.