Combined ipsilateral neck and axillary lymphadenectomy for metastatic skin cancers: a case series and surgical tips

In the absence of distant disease simultaneous skin cancer metastasis to neck and axillary lymph nodes necessitates both an axillary and neck en block lymphadenectomy. A combined ipsilateral neck and axillary lymph node dissection should involve an in-continuity dissection through the cervicoaxillary canal for optimal lymphatic and oncological clearance. Review of the literature reveals little published instruction on the procedure since the radical surgery performed by Bowden over 50 years ago. We present 4 cases where ipsilateral axillary and neck lymph node dissections were performed for metastatic melanoma and a case of apical axillary node dissection via a neck incision approach. Our surgical tips include performing apical axillary node dissection via the neck incision and consideration of clavicular osteotomy or clavicular excision. A transclavicular approach was taken in one patient who had an excellent functional outcome after a plate and screw fixation. One elderly patient required a middle third claviculectomy which reduced shoulder elevation but was not associated with functional impairment. We conclude the surgery is safe and associated with the usual morbidity ascribed with either an axillary or neck dissection undertaken in isolation. However, patients have a significant risk of disease relapse as would be expected due to the duel metastatic sites, multiple lymph node and neck involvement which are known to be independent poor prognostic factors on melanoma survival and relapse.