The surgical approach to primary malignant melanoma

Surgical excision is the only curative treatment for malignant melanoma. Excisional biopsy of the suspected lesion allows for adequate tissue diagnosis and microstaging and does not alter ten year survival periods. Wide local excision with a resection margin of 3 centimeters is recommended for all but the most superficial (less than 0.76 millimeters) lesions. Nodal and systemic metastases and long term survival are unaffected by the size of the resection margin. The role of prophylactic lymphadenectomy for Stage I melanoma remains controversial. The results of both prospective and retrospective studies have demonstrated an improved survival after prophylactic lymphadenectomy for patients with intermediate thickness (0.76 to 3.9 millimeters or Clark's level III to IV, or both) lesions. Patients with ulcerated lesions and lesions in the BANS distribution, even when superficial, might benefit from elective lymphadenectomy. At least quarterly follow-up examination is recommended for those patients who undergo wide excision alone. Therapeutic lymphadenectomy is indicated for the treatment of Stage II melanoma. The results of ongoing prospective randomized studies will clarify the role of fascia removal, resection margins and prophylactic lymphadenectomy in the treatment of malignant melanoma.