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Management of external ear melanoma: the same or something different?
Teresa S Jones1, Edward L Jones, Dexiang Gao
1Department of Surgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, USA.
American Journal of Surgery
|May 14, 2013
Summary
Ear melanomas show similar recurrence rates to other skin melanomas, but sentinel lymph node biopsy accuracy may be lower. Mohs surgery also demonstrated a higher local recurrence rate in this study.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Oncology
Background:
- The external ear is highly susceptible to UV radiation due to thin skin over cartilage.
- This anatomical site presents unique challenges for treating cutaneous malignancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if melanomas on the ear exhibit distinct characteristics compared to those on other body sites.
- To evaluate recurrence patterns and treatment outcomes for ear melanomas.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 60 patients treated for ear melanoma at a tertiary care center.
- Inclusion of data on patient demographics, tumor characteristics, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN) status, and recurrence events.
Main Results:
- The study included 60 patients (87% male, mean age 56.7 years, mean thickness 1.65 mm).
- 22% of patients with SLN biopsy had positive nodes; 33% experienced recurrence, including those with negative SLNs.
- 30% of patients treated with Mohs surgery had local recurrence.
Conclusions:
- Ear melanoma recurrence rates are comparable to other cutaneous melanomas.
- A higher-than-expected recurrence rate was observed in patients with negative SLNs, suggesting potential inaccuracies in SLN evaluation for ear melanomas.
- Mohs surgery was associated with a relatively high local recurrence rate.
