Klin Onkol 1990; 3(5): 150-153.
Summary:
As a part of the WHO Melanoma Program this study was devoted to estimation of the role of prophylactic lymph node dissection in unfavourable malignant melanomas of trunk (thickness more than 1,5 mm.) of improvement of survival. 223 stage I trunk melanoma patients were included in this study carried out in 1983—1989 with a mean follow-up 42 months. The patients were randomized into two groups; 111 patients underwent radical excision of primary tumor and prophylactic regional lymph node dessection, while in 112 patients only radical excision of trunk melanoma was performed. The data of 199 patients were evaluable for final analysis. No statistical difference was found between the two treatment approaches and we conclude that regional lymph node dissection in clinically node negative trunk melanoma does not improve survival and brings no benefit for these patients.
