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A Revised Method for Inducing Secondary Lymphedema in the Hindlimb of Mice
Published on: November 2, 2019
Age-related lymphatic dysfunction in melanoma patients
W Charles Conway1, Mark B Faries, Michael B Nicholl
1Department of Surgical Oncology, John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, CA, USA.
Annals of Surgical Oncology
|March 12, 2009
Summary
Lymphatic function declines with age, impacting sentinel node (SN) metastasis detection in melanoma patients. This age-related decline in lymphatic function may explain lower SN positivity and increased in-transit disease in older individuals.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Pathology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Age-related outcomes are increasingly evaluated in melanoma patients.
- Increasing age correlates with higher sentinel node (SN) non-identification and decreased SN positivity.
- Advanced age is a risk factor for in-transit melanoma metastasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between patient age and lymphatic function as assessed by sentinel node biopsy.
- To determine if age-related alterations in lymphatic function explain observed differences in melanoma metastasis patterns.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 858 melanoma patients who underwent successful sentinel node biopsy between 2000-2005.
- Analysis of patient age, drainage basin, intraoperative radioactivity, and SN pathology.
- Statistical analysis including Pearson correlation, ANOVA, chi-squared test, and multivariate analysis.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse relationship was found between patient age and sentinel node (SN) radioactivity counts (P < .001).
- Lymphatic uptake rates were consistently lower in older patients across axillary, inguinal, and cervical drainage basins.
- Multivariate analysis confirmed age as an independent predictor of reduced SN radiocolloid uptake.
Conclusions:
- Lymphatic function, measured by radiocolloid transit and uptake in the SN, demonstrably declines with increasing age.
- Altered lymphatic function in older individuals may influence melanoma metastatic patterns, contributing to reduced nodal positivity and increased in-transit disease.
- Understanding age-related lymphatic changes is crucial for interpreting melanoma staging and prognosis in elderly patients.
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