Reducing margins of wide local excision in head and neck melanoma for function and cosmesis: 5-year local recurrence-free survival

Head and neck melanoma: the eyelid region has a better prognosis and easier management: a retrospective survey and systematic review

Eyelid melanoma (EM) is a malignant neoplasm accounting for around 1% of eyelid malignancies. Because of its rarity, most of our knowledge of EM is currently based on studies of cutaneous melanomas located elsewhere. Accordingly, this study aimed to specifically evaluate EM characteristics, management strategies, and prognosis. A retrospective study was carried out on patients diagnosed with EM at Careggi University Hospital, Florence between May 2012 and May 2022. In addition, a systematic review of relevant literature was conducted, encompassing studies published from 2013 to 2023. Clinical, histopathological, therapeutical, and prognostic data were analyzed to assess the metastasis rate and the 5-year survival rate of patients with EM. Separate data were extracted for in situ and invasive disease. Our original study included 19 patients diagnosed with EM with a 5-year survival rate of 100% for in situ and 83.3% for invasive EM. The literature review identified five poorly detailed large database reviews and 14 original studies on EM with an overall 5-year survival rate of 79.7%. The present research indicates that EM is a challenging malignancy, but has a relatively better prognosis and easier management than other melanomas of the head and neck region. These are probably related to the anatomical location which leads to early diagnosis. Therefore, EM should be considered as a specific disease requiring dedicated treatment. Based on the personal authors' experience and comprehensive overview of the current knowledge, a dedicated protocol is proposed.

Association of Excision Margin Size With Local Recurrence and Survival in Patients With T1a Melanoma at Critical Structures

Importance

Melanoma guidelines recommend surgical excision with 10-mm margins for T1 melanoma. However, this procedure may be problematic at sites close to critical structures such as the scalp, face, external genitalia, acral, periumbilical, and perineal areas.

Objective

To compare outcomes of wide (10-mm margins) vs narrow (5-mm margins) excision in patients with T1a melanoma near critical structures.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study was a retrospective comparison of 1341 consecutive patients aged 18 years or older from the National Cancer Institute of Milan, Italy, diagnosed between 2001 and 2020 with T1a cutaneous melanoma close to critical structures who accepted wide excision vs narrow excision.

Exposures

Local recurrence and melanoma-specific mortality (MSM) rates with 5-mm vs 10-mm excision margins.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary aim of the study was to ascertain whether a narrower (5-mm) vs wider (10-mm) excision margin was associated with local recurrence and MSM. The secondary aim was to compare the need for reconstructive surgery in the groups defined by excision margin width. Between April 28 and August 7, 2022, associations were assessed by weighted Cox and Fine-Gray univariable and multivariable models.

Results

A total of 1179 patients met the inclusion criteria (median [IQR] age, 50.0 [39.5-63.0] years; female, 610 [51.7%]; male, 569 [49.3%]). Six hundred twenty-six patients (53.1%) received a wide excision (434 [69.3%] with linear repair and 192 [30.7%] with flap or graft reconstruction) and 553 (46.9%) received a narrow excision (491 [88.8%] with linear repair and 62 [11.2%] with flap or graft reconstruction). The weighted 10-year MSM was 1.8% (95% CI, 0.8%-4.2%) in the wide group and 4.2% (95% CI, 2.2%-7.9%) in the narrow group; the weighted 10-year local recurrence rate was 5.7% (95% CI, 3.9%-8.3%) in the wide group and 6.7% (95% CI, 4.7%-9.5%) in the narrow group. Breslow thickness greater than 0.4 mm (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] for 0.6 vs 0.4 mm, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.59-3.68; P < .001) and mitotic rate greater than 1/mm2 (sHR for a single increment, 3.35; 95% CI, 2.59-4.32; P < .001) were associated with worse MSM. Multivariable analysis showed that acral lentiginous melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, and increasing Breslow thickness were associated with a higher incidence of local recurrence.

Conclusions and Relevance

The study's findings suggest that local excision with 5-mm margins for T1a melanoma may not be associated with an increased risk of local recurrence. Breslow thickness greater than 0.4 mm, mitotic rate greater than 1/mm2, and acral lentiginous melanoma and lentigo maligna melanoma subtypes were associated with a higher risk of recurrence. These findings may be useful for future melanoma treatment guidelines.

A cohort analysis of surgically treated primary head and neck lentigo maligna (melanoma): Prognostic value of melanoma subtype and new insights in the clinical value of guideline adherence

BACKGROUND

Knowledge about lentigo maligna (melanoma) (LM/LMM) and its associated prognostic clinicopathological characteristics are limited compared to that of non-LM/LMM subtypes. The current study aimed to determine the clinical relevance of the LM/LMM subtype and its influence on recurrence and survival outcomes.

METHODS

All consecutive cases of primary cutaneous head and neck LM/LMM treated by wide local excision over a ten-year period were retrospectively reviewed and compared to non-LM/LMM. Clinical outcome and prognostic factors were assessed by cumulative incidence and competing risk analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 345 patients were identified. Specific clinicopathological characteristics such as lower median Breslow thickness (1.6 mm versus 2.1 mm; P = 0.013), association with diagnostic sampling errors (17.3% versus 5.2%; P = 0.01), and increased risk of local recurrences due to incomplete resection (18.7% versus 2.3%; P < 0.001), were significantly associated with LM/LMM. Guideline adherence was similar between the two study groups. The positive nodal status at baseline for LMM was low compared to non-LM/LMM (4.2% vs 17.9%; P = 0.037). The LMM subtype, facial localization, and reduced surgical margins (i.e., guideline non-adherence) were not shown to be independent prognostic factors for disease-free, melanoma-specific, or overall survival after correction for competing risks such as patient age and Breslow thickness.

CONCLUSIONS

The LMM subtype was not shown to be prognostically different from non-LM/LMM when corrected for other variables of influence such as patient age and Breslow thickness. Reduced resection margins did not seem to affect disease-free, and melanoma-specific survival and warrant LM/LMM-specific guidelines. Further research is needed to evaluate the value of SLNB in LMM patients.

Principles of Surgery in Head and Neck Cutaneous Melanoma

Surgical management of head and neck melanoma starts from the primary biopsy of the cutaneous site by a narrow excision with a 1 to 3 mm margins. The margin should include the whole breadth and sufficient depth of the lesion. The key is not to transect the lesion. With the advent of molecular testing, gene expression profiling, and immunotherapies, the surgical management of advanced melanoma has changed. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is an essential armamentarium for T2a and higher staging/greater than 1 mm thick and advance stage disease. Molecular pathogenesis and cancer immunology are recognized in the recent treatment protocols along with surgery in advanced stages of melanoma.

Appraisal of International Guidelines for Cutaneous Melanoma Management using the AGREE II assessment tool

BACKGROUND

The evidence base behind new melanoma treatments is rapidly accumulating. This is not necessarily reflected in current guidance. A recent UK-based expert consensus statement, published in JPRAS, has called for updates to the widely accepted 2015 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline for melanoma (NG14). We aimed to compare the quality of NG14 to all other melanoma guidelines published since.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Medline, and online clinical practice guideline databases to identify melanoma guidelines published between 29th July 2015 and 23rd August 2021 providing recommendations for adjuvant treatment, radiotherapy, surgical management, or follow-up care. Three authors independently assessed the quality of identified guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation Instrument II (AGREE II) assessment tool, which measures six domains of guideline development. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W).

RESULTS

Twenty-nine guidelines were included and appraised with excellent concordance (Kendall's W for overall guideline score 0.88, p<0.001). Overall, melanoma guidelines scored highly in the domains of 'Scope and purpose' and 'Clarity of presentation', but poorly in the 'Applicability' domain. The NICE guideline on melanoma (NG14) achieved the best overall scores.

CONCLUSION

Melanoma treatment has advanced since NG14 was published, however, the NICE melanoma guideline is of higher quality than more recent alternatives. The planned update of NG14 in 2022 is in demand.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of local recurrence rates of head and neck cutaneous melanomas after wide local excision, Mohs micrographic surgery, or staged excision

BACKGROUND

Prospective trials have not compared the local recurrence rates of different excision techniques for cutaneous melanomas on the head and neck.

OBJECTIVE

To determine local recurrence rates of cutaneous head and neck melanoma after wide local excision (WLE), Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), or staged excision.

METHODS

A systematic review of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science identified all English case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials that reported local recurrence rates after surgery for cutaneous head and neck melanoma. A meta-analysis utilizing a random effects model calculated weighted local recurrence rates and confidence intervals (CI) for each surgical technique and for subgroups of MMS and staged excision.

RESULTS

Among 100 manuscripts with 13,998 head and neck cutaneous melanomas, 51.0% (7138) of melanomas were treated by WLE, 34.5% (4826) by MMS, and 14.5% (2034) by staged excision. Local recurrence rates were lowest for MMS (0.61%; 95% CI, 0.1%-1.4%), followed by staged excision (1.8%; 95% CI, 1.0%-2.9%) and WLE (7.8%; 95% CI, 6.4%-9.3%).

LIMITATIONS

Definitions of local recurrence varied. Surgical techniques included varying proportions of invasive melanomas. Studies had heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

Systematic review and meta-analysis show lower local recurrence rates for cutaneous head and neck melanoma after treatment with MMS or staged excision compared to WLE.

Positive Margins in Cutaneous Melanoma of the Head and Neck: Implications for Timing of Reconstruction

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to identify clinicopathologic features associated with positive margins after surgical treatment of cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck (CMHN).

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

National Cancer Database.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database was performed of patients diagnosed with CMHN between 2004 and 2016. Univariate and multivariate analyses examining the association of clinicopathologic features with positive margins were performed via logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 101,560 patients met inclusion criteria. The incidence of positive margins was 5.0% (5128/101,560). Patients were significantly more likely to have positive margins with the following: increasing age (P < .001; odds ratio [OR], 1.028; 95% CI, 1.026-1.031), the lip subsite (P < .001; OR, 1.664; 95% CI, 1.286-2.154), the eyelid subsite (P < .001; OR, 2.380; 95% CI, 1.996-2.838), the face subsite (P < .001; OR, 1.215; 95% CI, 1.133-1.302), the lentigo maligna/lentigo maligna melanoma subtype (P = .019; OR, 1.099; 95% CI, 1.016-1.188), the desmoplastic subtype (P < .001; OR, 1.455; 95% CI, 1.261-1.680), the spindle cell subtype (P = .006; OR, 1.276; 95% CI, 1.073-1.516), and advanced pT classification. Patients with male sex (P < .001; OR, 0.733; 95% CI, 0.687-0.782) and without ulceration (P < .001; OR, 0.803; 95% CI, 0.736-0.876) were significantly less likely to have positive margins.

CONCLUSION

The following have been identified as clinicopathologic features associated with positive margins after surgical treatment of CMHN: increasing age, female sex, the lip subsite, the eyelid subsite, the face subsite, ulceration, the lentigo maligna/lentigo maligna melanoma subtype, the desmoplastic subtype, the spindle cell subtype, and increasing pT classification.

Can we reduce excision margins for head and neck melanoma? A 12-year retrospective study

Although wide local excision is the standard treatment for primary melanoma, the surgical margin remains controversial. Melanomas of the head and neck exhibit higher recurrence rates and worse prognosis than lesions in other body locations, and their close proximity to critical anatomical and functional structures means that wide excision margins are often not feasible. Surgeons must therefore achieve a balance of oncological safety and functional and aesthetic needs. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse melanoma data over a 12-year period at a large skin surgery unit to identify potential differences in outcomes in patients who had reduced wide local excision margins for primary head and neck melanoma. The study would provide further evidence for the need for large randomised prospective trials to reduce excision margins for head and neck melanoma. Local cancer network data were retrospectively analysed over a period of 12 years (2008-2019). Data included site, initial stage, multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting recommendations for excision margins and the actual wide local excision margin taken, recurrence rate, and disease-specific and absolute survival. A total of 222/305 patients (73%) had the recommended excision margin, while in 27% margins were reduced due to anatomical or functional considerations. Recurrence rates were similar (recommended 11.7% vs narrow 13.3% excision margins) (p = 0.64). The mean follow-up time for all patients was 48.5 months. In aesthetically and functionally sensitive areas of the head and neck, wide local excision margins need to be carefully considered after MDT discussion and discussion with the patient. This study suggests the need for further multicentre trials to address the uniqueness of head and neck melanoma.

'Primum non nocere': how harmless is routine wide local excision for AJCC stage IA melanoma?

BACKGROUND

Management of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma is with initial excision biopsy followed by a wide local excision to achieve locoregional control. For low-risk thin melanomas, the added survival benefit from the wide local excision is minimal. In this study, we investigated the morbidities of wide local excision and evaluated the current clinical practice in managing stage IA malignant melanoma.

METHODS

Patients with confirmed stage IA malignant melanoma who had undergone a wide local excision in the 2013/14 period were identified using a specialist cancer multidisciplinary team-held database. Primary pathology, surgical data and follow-up documentation were analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 231 cases were identified; 95% of patients (n = 220) had malignant melanoma excised completely at first excision biopsy, mean margin 2.8mm (range 0.5-8.0mm). Postoperative morbidities occurred in 25% of patients (n = 57), including 6.6% wound problems, 10.9% scarring problems, 10.0% psychological stress and 0.4% cosmetic concern. Wide local excision reconstructions were performed with primary closure in 82% of patients, split skin grafts in 4%, full-thickness skin grafts in 3% and flaps in 10%. Of the total, 44% of patients (n = 101) had further excisions and 17 received new low-risk melanoma diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that 1cm wide local excision is associated with significant morbidity, which can affect patients' physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Since wide local excision does not give a survival advantage, and its margin is already frequently reduced in cosmetically sensitive areas, the need for a second full 1cm wide local excision procedure for thin melanoma should be re-evaluated, especially when 95% of our study cohort had their malignant melanoma completely excised by the initial biopsy alone.

A brief synopsis on scalp melanoma

Melanoma constitutes one of the most sinister and troublesome malignancies encountered by humanity. Generally, the diagnosis of advanced melanoma connotes a grave prognosis, prompting a sense of looming threat of death, however, the early-stage detected disease responds well to robust treatment resulting in reasonable survivorship. Scalp melanomas are even more troublesome, because they typically exhibit more aggressive biologic behavior and are often diagnosed at a late stage. This review tries to comprehensively highlight the various diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome aspects of scalp melanomas. The literature research includes peer-reviewed articles (clinical trials or scientific reviews). Studies were identified by searching electronic databases (MEDLINE and PubMed) till May 2020 and reference lists of respective articles. Only articles published in English language were included.

Primary excision margins, sentinel lymph node biopsy, and completion lymph node dissection in cutaneous melanoma: a clinical practice guideline

Background

For patients who are diagnosed with early-stage cutaneous melanoma, the principal therapy is wide surgical excision of the primary tumour and assessment of lymph nodes. The purpose of the present guideline was to update the 2010 Cancer Care Ontario guideline on wide local excision margins and sentinel lymph node biopsy (slnb), including treatment of the positive sentinel node, for melanomas of the trunk, extremities, and head and neck.

Methods

Using Ovid, the medline and embase electronic databases were systematically searched for systematic reviews and primary literature evaluating narrow compared with wide excision margins and the use of slnb for melanoma of the truck and extremities and of the head and neck. Search timelines ran from 2010 through week 25 of 2017.

Results

Four systematic reviews were chosen for inclusion in the evidence base. Where systematic reviews were available, the search of the primary literature was conducted starting from the end date of the search in the reviews. Where systematic reviews were absent, the search for primary literature ran from 2010 forward. Of 1213 primary studies identified, 8 met the inclusion criteria. Two randomized controlled trials were used to inform the recommendation on completion lymph node dissection.Key updated recommendations include:■ Wide local excision margins should be 2 cm for melanomas of the trunk, extremities, and head and neck that exceed 2 mm in depth.■ slnb should be offered to patients with melanomas of the trunk, extremities, and head and neck that exceed 0.8 mm in depth.■ Patients with sentinel node metastasis should be considered for nodal observation with ultrasonography rather than for completion lymph node dissection.

Conclusions

Recommendations for primary excision margins, sentinel lymph node biopsy, and completion lymph node dissection in patients with cutaneous melanoma have been updated based on the current literature.

Comparison of surgical margins for lentigo maligna versus melanoma in situ

BACKGROUND

Multiple studies have shown a 5-mm surgical margin to be inadequate for excision of melanoma in situ. Some have suggested that a wider margin is needed only for the lentigo maligna subtype.

OBJECTIVE

To compare subclinical extension of lentigo maligna with that of melanoma in situ. The secondary objective was to investigate the effect of other factors on extent of subclinical extension.

METHODS

A prospectively collected series of noninvasive melanomas was studied. Original pathology reports were used to identify lentigo maligna and compare data for that subtype with data for the remaining melanomas in situ.

RESULTS

A total of 1506 lentigo maligna cases and 829 melanomas in situ were included. To obtain a 97% clearance rate, both lentigo maligna and melanoma in situ required a 12-mm margin on the head and neck and a 9-mm margin on the trunk and extremities. Only 79% of lentigo maligna and 83% of melanoma in situ were successfully excised with a 6-mm margin (P = .12). Local recurrence was identified in 0.26% (5 facial, 1 scalp, and 1 acral), with a mean follow-up time of 5.7 years.

LIMITATIONS

Margins less than 6 mm were not studied. The use of lentigo maligna diagnosis was not used by all dermatopathologists consistently. The degree of surrounding photodamage was not assessed.

CONCLUSION

Subclinical extension of lentigo maligna and melanoma in situ are similar. Standard surgical excision of all melanoma in situ subtypes, including lentigo maligna, should include at least 9 mm of normal-appearing skin, which is similar to the amount recommended for early invasive melanoma. Lesions on the head and neck or those with a diameter greater than 1 cm may require even wider margins and are best treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. The perception that lentigo maligna has wider subclinical extension may be related to its frequent location on the head and neck, where photodamage can camouflage the clinical border.

Optimal resection margin for head and neck cutaneous melanoma

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

The objective of this study was to examine the difference between a narrow (between 1 and 2 cm) and a wide (>2 cm) margin in the surgical resection of head and neck cutaneous melanoma.

STUDY DESIGN

Population-based cohort analysis.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was employed to identify patients who had cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck from 2004 to 2014. Outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

RESULTS

Among the total of 3,583 cases of cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck with known resection margins, 2,641 individuals had narrow resection margins, and 942 patients had wide margins. Most of the tumors presented in the skin of the scalp and neck, followed by the face, external ear, and other areas. The 5-year and 10-year Kaplan-Meier OS probabilities for narrow and wide margins were 65% and 66%, respectively, compared with 49% and 48%, respectively. The DSS probabilities exhibited similar trends between the two groups at these time points. In the Cox regression model, the patients who received narrow margins had similar OS (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.918-1.217) and DSS (95% CI: 0.856-1.352) compared with the wide resection margin group, even when controlled for age, sex, T stage, and histology.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival of patients with cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck depends on age, depth of tumor invasion, and histology. Within the head and neck, a wider resection margin of >2 cm does not confer any additional survival benefit compared with a narrower margin. Future studies should examine whether wider surgical margins would confer survival benefit in local or recurrent melanoma.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 129:1386-1394, 2019.

The rule of 10s versus the rule of 2s: High complication rates after conventional excision with postoperative margin assessment of specialty site versus trunk and proximal extremity melanomas

Specialty site melanomas on the head and neck, hands and feet, genitalia, and pretibial leg have higher rates of surgical complications after conventional excision with postoperative margin assessment (CE-POMA) compared with trunk and proximal extremity melanomas. The rule of 10s describes complication rates after CE-POMA of specialty site melanomas: ∼10% risk for upstaging, ∼10% risk for positive excision margins, ∼10% risk for local recurrence, and ∼10-fold increased likelihood of reconstruction with a flap or graft. Trunk and proximal extremity melanomas encounter these complications at a lower rate, according to the rule of 2s. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) with frozen section melanocytic immunostains (MMS-I) and slow Mohs with paraffin sections decrease complications of surgery of specialty site melanomas by detecting upstaging and confirming complete tumor removal with comprehensive microscopic margin assessment before reconstruction. This article reviews information important for counseling melanoma patients about surgical treatment options and for developing consensus guidelines with clear indications for MMS-I or slow Mohs.

Skin melanoma imaging using ultrasonography: a literature review

Melanoma is one of the most unpredictable tumours, as regards both morphology and the course of disease. It may have different clinical forms making it very difficult to diagnose. Therefore, it often surprises even the most experienced dermatologists. Despite numerous attempts, no efficient treatment of advanced stages have been elaborated, and early detection and removal of a skin lesion currently constitutes the most efficient treatment method. Diagnostics uses different types of dermoscopic techniques characterised by considerable sensitivity and specificity in detecting melanoma at an early developmental stage. A continuous development of medical technologies leads to improving many methods of skin lesion imaging. Ultrasonography is one of these methods, enabling evaluation of the thickness of melanoma in vivo with high precision. Change thickness is the decisive factor influencing 5-year survival. The paper evaluates the usefulness of high-frequency ultrasonography (HFUS) in pre-operative melanoma imaging on the basis of literature review. Additionally, the use, role and placement of HFUS in skin melanoma diagnostics is determined.

Updated evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of melanoma: definitive excision margins for primary cutaneous melanoma

INTRODUCTION

Definitive management of primary cutaneous melanoma consists of surgical excision of the melanoma with the aim of curing the patient. The melanoma is widely excised together with a safety margin of surrounding skin and subcutaneous tissue, after the diagnosis and Breslow thickness have been established by histological assessment of the initial excision biopsy specimen. Sentinel lymph node biopsy should be discussed for melanomas ≥ 1 mm thickness (≥ 0.8 mm if other high risk features) in which case lymphoscintigraphy must be performed before wider excision of the primary melanoma site. The 2008 evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the management of melanoma (http://www.cancer.org.au/content/pdf/HealthProfessionals/ClinicalGuidelines/ClinicalPracticeGuidelines-ManagementofMelanoma.pdf) are currently being revised and updated in a staged process by a multidisciplinary working party established by Cancer Council Australia. The guidelines for definitive excision margins for primary melanomas have been revised as part of this process. Main recommendations: The recommendations for definitive wide local excision of primary cutaneous melanoma are: melanoma in situ: 5-10 mm margins invasive melanoma (pT1) ≤ 1.0 mm thick: 1 cm margins invasive melanoma (pT2) 1.01-2.00 mm thick: 1-2 cm margins invasive melanoma (pT3) 2.01-4.00 mm thick: 1-2 cm margins invasive melanoma (pT4) > 4.0 mm thick: 2 cm margins Changes in management as a result of the guideline: Based on currently available evidence, excision margins for invasive melanoma have been left unchanged compared with the 2008 guidelines. However, melanoma in situ should be excised with 5-10 mm margins, with the aim of achieving complete histological clearance. Minimum clearances from all margins should be assessed and stated. Consideration should be given to further excision if necessary; positive or close histological margins are unacceptable.

The prognostic importance of scalp location in primary head and neck melanoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

For patients with cutaneous melanoma, primary tumors located in the head and neck is associated with poor outcomes. The reason for this difference and whether it is applicable to all locations within the head and neck remains unclear. We hypothesized that scalp melanoma is uniquely distinguished from other anatomic sites and is independently responsible for the poor prognosis of head and neck melanoma.

METHODS

Query and analysis of a prospectively maintained melanoma database of all patients treated for primary cutaneous melanoma from 1971 to 2010.

RESULTS

Of 11 384 patients identified, 7% (n = 799) of lesions originated on the scalp. Scalp primaries were more often found in males and were associated with increased Breslow thickness and were more frequently ulcerated compared to all other anatomic sites (P = 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, scalp location was an independent predictor of worse melanoma-specific (HR 1.75; CI 1.50-2.04; P < 0.0001) and overall survival (HR 1.62; CI 1.41-1.86; P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

This, the largest series examining scalp melanoma, confirms that scalp location is independently responsible for the negative prognosis associated with head and neck melanoma. Although the pathophysiology of this difference remains to be determined, these data argue for more rigorous surveillance of this anatomic location.

Frequency of and factors associated with positive or equivocal margins in conventional excision of atypical intraepidermal melanocytic proliferations (AIMP): A single academic institution cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

No evidence-based surgical guidelines exist for atypical intraepidermal melanocytic proliferation (AIMP), a descriptive histopathologic diagnosis with uncertain malignant potential.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to identify the frequency of and risk factors associated with positive or equivocal margins after conventional excision.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of 413 AIMPs treated by conventional excision.

RESULTS

Positive or equivocal margins were seen in 2.9% (12/413) of conventional excisions of AIMP. Risk factors associated with positive or equivocal margins included anatomic location on the head and neck (5/51, 9.8%; odds ratio 6.91, 95% confidence interval 1.93-24.80) (P = .012) and a preoperative biopsy specimen that included melanoma in situ in the differential diagnosis (11/214, 5.1%; odds ratio 10.73, 95% confidence interval 1.37-83.88) (P = .006). The frequency of positive or equivocal margins did not differ significantly with surgical margins greater than or less than 5 mm (odds ratio 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.18-2.07) (P = .457).

LIMITATIONS

This was a single-site, retrospective observational study.

CONCLUSION

AIMP has a significantly increased risk for incomplete excision when it is located on the head and neck or has a preoperative histologic differential diagnosis that includes melanoma in situ. These subsets of AIMP may benefit from Mohs micrographic surgery or staged surgical excision to confirm clear margins before reconstruction.

Excision margins and sentinel lymph node status as prognostic factors in thick melanoma of the head and neck: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Recommended margins for thick cutaneous melanoma (Breslow thickness >4 mm; T4) have decreased over recent decades. Optimal margins and the role of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) in thick head and neck melanoma remain controversial.

METHODS

A single-center review was conducted of patients treated between 2002 and 2012 assessing the impact of excision margins and sentinel lymph node status on locoregional recurrence and melanoma-specific survival (MSS).

RESULTS

One hundred eight patients were identified. Median age was 71.1 years and median Breslow thickness was 6.0 mm. Median follow-up was 40 months. Locoregional recurrence occurred in 27% and there was no significant reduction in recurrence with margins ≥2 cm (p = .17). Increasing margins did not improve survival (p = .58). Fifty-nine patients (55%) underwent SNB, of which 27% were positive. There was a trend toward longer survival for patients who were sentinel lymph node-negative (p = .097).

CONCLUSION

Wider margins do not significantly improve locoregional recurrence or MSS. Sentinel lymph node involvement reflects a poor prognosis. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1373-1379, 2016.