[Sentinel lymphadenectomy in malignant melanoma]

The sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) is one of the most striking developments in the treatment of melanoma. Since the first report by Morton et al. in 1992, the method has been refined, and its use has increased. Introduced as an alternative to elective lymph node dissection (ELND), it has rapidly made its way into clinical practice. SLND allows precise pathologic staging through removal and analysis of a limited number of nodes (false-negative rate < 2%). It distinguishes patients with clinically occult nodal disease from those with tumor-free regional basin who would not benefit from radical dissection. However, the SLND is still an experimental procedure with yet unproven utility.