[Is sentinel lymph node procedure in early-staged cutaneous melanoma really safe?]

The aim of this study was to analyze outcome in patients enrolled in sentinel node biopsy procedure in early-staged cutaneous melanoma.

Therefore a prospective study was conducted enrolling patients presenting with early-staged cutaneous melanoma. Our study focused on age and sex, duration from diagnosis to treatment, duration of hospitalization, dressing care and work inability in current follows. Duration from scintigraphy to surgery was analyzed and compared to sensibility of the procedure. What is more we observed rate and kind of complications and economical consequences, increasing duration of dressing care and work inability. The authors aimed at evaluating costs of SLN procedure including hospitalization, lymphoscintigraphy, general anaesthesia, costs of dressings, inability and overcosts of complications.

Forty-five patients were enrolled in our study (sex-ratio 1/2) mean aged 60 years old. Duration from diagnosis to treatment was mean 36 days. Sensibility of the procedure was excellent in trunk and limbs cases, lower in head and neck. In current cases patients were mean hospitalized three days, underwent 20 days of dressings and work inability depended on further interferon treatment. Complications occurred in 25% as seroma or local infections requiring antibiotherapy. Duration to healing was then 45 days increasing inability. Global costs of SLN procedure were significantly higher than previous wait and watch policy.

SLN biopsy is an expensive and invasive procedure with a high rate of complications. It defers melanoma treatment, only way to gain survival.