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Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Injection of Syngeneic Murine Melanoma Cells to Determine Their Metastatic Potential in the Lungs
Published on: May 24, 2016
Micrometastasis to in-transit lymph nodes from extremity and truncal malignant melanoma
M C Thelmo1, E T Morita, P A Treseler
1Department of Surgery, University of California at San Francisco Medical Center at Mount Zion and UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, 94115, USA.
Background:
The sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the first lymph node in the regional nodal basin to receive metastatic cells. In-transit nodes are found between the primary melanoma site and regional nodal basins. To date, this is one of the first reports on micrometastasis to in-transit nodes.
Methods:
Retrospective database and medical records were reviewed from October 21, 1993, to November 19. 1999. At the UCSF Melanoma Center, patients with tumor thickness > 1 mm or < 1 mm with high-risk features are managed with preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, selective SLN dissection, and wide local excision.
Results:
Thirty (5%) out of 557 extremity and truncal melanoma patients had in-transit SLNs. Three patients had positive in-transit SLNs and negative SLNs in the regional nodal basin. Two patients had positive in-transit and regional SLNs. Three patients had negative in-transit SLNs but positive regional SLNs. The remaining 22 patients were negative for in-transit and regional SLNs.
Conclusions:
In-transit SLNs may harbor micrometastasis. About 10% of the time, micrometastasis may involve the in-transit and not the regional SLN. Therefore, both in-transit and regional SLNs should be harvested.
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