Changing surgical therapy for melanoma of the external ear

Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of invasive melanoma: A systematic review with meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

The use of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) in melanoma treatment has divided opinion and evidence-based guidelines are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aimed to analyse clinical outcomes for patients with invasive melanomas treated with Mohs rather than wide local excision (WLE).

METHODS

Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane databases (to 30 August 2023) were searched for studies using Mohs to treat invasive melanoma. Outcomes of interest were local recurrence and death from melanoma.

RESULTS

Thirty-five articles involving 41,499 patients with invasive melanoma treated with Mohs were identified. Sixteen studies compared Mohs with WLE and 19 were Mohs-only, non-comparative studies. Patients treated with Mohs differed significantly from those undergoing WLE, in particular Mohs patients were older and had thinner melanomas. Two comparative studies using the same data source reported adjusted hazard ratios for melanoma-specific death and both showed no significant difference between Mohs and WLE-treated patients; 0.87 (95% CI 0.55-1.35) and 1.20 (95% CI 0.71-20.36). There was also no statistically significant difference in local recurrence risk; the unadjusted risk ratio for patients treated with Mohs was 0.46 (95% CI 0.14-1.51 p = 0.20) with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 62%). No studies reported multivariable analyses for risk of local recurrence. Many studies generated from relatively few and often overlapping data sets have reported the use of Mohs to treat patients with invasive melanoma. Fewer studies were comparative between Mohs and WLE and these reported substantially different baseline risks of recurrence and death from melanoma between the groups. Mohs has generally been used for thinner melanomas in older patients; therefore, comparisons based on univariable analyses are likely to have been misleading.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of currently available data, it is not possible to reliably assess whether outcomes differ if invasive melanomas with comparable features are treated with Mohs or WLE, and randomized trial evidence will be required for reliable conclusions to be reached.

Local Recurrence of Melanoma Is Higher After Wide Local Excision Versus Mohs Micrographic Surgery or Staged Excision: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Complete removal of melanoma is a primary goal of excision, and local recurrence is one measure to evaluate the efficacy of surgical technique.

OBJECTIVE

To compare published local recurrence rates for melanoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) or staged excision versus wide local excision (WLE).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Search of 6 databases identified comparative and noncomparative studies that reported local recurrence rates after MMS, staged excision, or WLE for melanoma. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI) from comparative studies and event rates from noncomparative studies.

RESULTS

Of the 71 studies included (16,575 patients), 12 were comparative studies (2,683 patients) and 56 were noncomparative studies (13,698 patients). Comparative studies showed increased recurrence after WLE compared with MMS or staged excision (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4-4.6) and compared with MMS alone (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.8-5.9). Pooled data from comparative and noncomparative studies showed a local recurrence rate of 7% after WLE (95% CI, 5%-11%), 3% after staged excision (95% CI, 2%-4%), and less than 1% after MMS (95% CI, 0%-1%). Statistical heterogeneity was moderate to high.

CONCLUSION

Local recurrence of melanoma is significantly lower after MMS (<1%) and staged excision (3%) compared with WLE (7%).

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.

Morphological features of benign pigmented ear lesions: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The morphology of benign pigmented lesions on the ears has been scarcely studied.

METHODS

We prospectively screened all patients presenting to a pigmented lesion clinic at a tertiary academic hospital, between November 2015 and August 2016, for the presence of benign pigmented ear lesions. Clinical and dermoscopic images were obtained for all lesions. Additionally, we performed a retrospective analysis of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) of benign pigmented ear lesions and a retrospective analysis of clinical and dermoscopic findings of biopsy-confirmed ear melanomas.

RESULTS

In total, 165 patients (median age 48, 53% female) contributed 708 benign pigmented ear lesions to the study. Participants with multiple body nevi and those with an atypical nevus phenotype (multiple body nevi and ≥ one atypical nevus) had a higher mean number of ear lesions than those without multiple body nevi (4.5 and 5.4 vs. 3.9, P < 0.05). The most common diagnoses were nevus (35%) and solar lentigo (34%), followed by pigmented lentiginous macules (PLM) (27%). Dermoscopically scattered pigmented small globules/dots were observed in 30% of nevi and 17% of PLMs. RCM analysis of 24 ear lesions showed a comparable frequency of RCM-clods between nevi and PLMs. Analysis of 29 ear melanomas revealed larger lesions with more complex dermoscopic patterns.

CONCLUSION

Multiple body nevi, and particularly an atypical nevus phenotype, were associated with having more pigmented ear lesions. Based on RCM analysis, PLMs of the ear likely represent small nevi. Ear melanomas tend to be larger and dermoscopically complex compared to ear nevi.

Outcomes of Cartilage-Sparing Wide Local Excision for Primary Melanoma of the External Ear

Objective

To describe outcomes after cartilage-sparing wide local excision for primary melanoma of the external ear.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing external ear melanoma excision using a cartilage-sparing approach at a university-based tertiary care center between 2010 and 2018.

Setting

University-based tertiary care center.

Subject and Methods

Chart review was performed for all patients over age 18 who were treated for melanoma of the external ear at Massachusetts Eye and Ear between 2010 and 2018. Patients with melanoma in situ or with melanomas in noncartilaginous areas of the ear (eg, lobule) were excluded.

Results

A total of 8 patients underwent cartilage-sparing excision. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 7 patients, with positive lymph nodes in 1 of 7 cases. Positive margins and local recurrence occurred in 1 of 8 (12.5%) patients during a mean (SD) follow-up time of 22.5 (15.1) months (SE, 5.3 months). No distant metastasis or death was observed.

Conclusion

Cartilage-sparing wide local excision for melanoma of the external ear is a surgical approach that enables surgeons to follow guideline-recommended oncologic excision margins but has the added benefit of improved postoperative aesthetic outcomes as well as reconstructive options through preservation of the auricular cartilage framework.

Cartilage-sparing surgery for melanoma of the external ear

BACKGROUND

The excision of melanoma of the external ear poses a challenge to surgeons, who must achieve adequate oncological control while minimising impact on form and function. Cartilage-preserving surgery is an attractive option, as it leaves behind a scaffold for immediate reconstruction with a variety of techniques including full-thickness skin grafts (FTSGs) and local flaps. This manuscript will review the literature comparing cartilage-sparing surgery with composite excision of the skin and the cartilage for the treatment of auricular melanoma. We report the results of a 17 year experience of using both techniques, together with sentinel node biopsy at our centre.

METHODS

A structured review of MEDLINE and EMBASE was conducted to evaluate all studies reporting local recurrence or survival rates for melanoma of the external ear treated with cartilage-preserving surgery. A retrospective review of all patients undergoing wide local excision (WLE) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for auricular melanoma at our centre between 2000 and 2017 was performed.

RESULTS

Of 40 patients identified, 29 underwent cartilage-preserving surgery with no local recurrences or evidence of perichondral involvement. There was one local recurrence out of 11 patients who had their cartilage excised. There were no significant differences in recurrence rates or melanoma-specific survival rates when comparing cartilage-preserving and cartilage-sparing surgery. Our results are supported by the literature review, which suggests that cartilage-sparing surgery is gaining acceptance as a safe practice.

A Systematic Review of Surgical Management of Melanoma of the External Ear

Background

Historically, external ear melanomas have been treated aggressively, due to early perceptions suggesting they had poor prognosis and aggressive biological behavior. More recent evidence has not supported these notions.

Methods

We completed a complete review of the literature involving malignant melanoma of the external ear. We then completed a quantitative analysis on seventy-three cases from 8 reports that contained case-level data, assessing factors that influence recurrence, and assessing characteristics of the melanomas based on histological subtype. Baseline and outcomes data for all 20 studies were then compiled but not statistically evaluated.

Results

In our subanalysis, patients who had recurrence were significantly more likely to have had wedge resection versus wide-local excision, and those with no recurrence were more likely to have undergone wide local excision. Nodular tumors had significantly greater thickness. Overall, conservative excisions provided excellent outcomes.

Conclusions

Conservative treatment for external ear melanoma produces satisfactory outcomes. There is no evidence to support the use of radical amputation and little evidence to support the removal of cartilage or perichondrium. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is warranted only with positive nodes. There is no role for elective neck dissection. The roles for chemo/radiation therapy are unclear and guidelines for other cutaneous melanomas should be followed.

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.

A Population Based Analysis of Melanoma of the External Ear

OBJECTIVE

Malignant melanoma accounts for nearly 75% of all skin cancer deaths, and the incidence is on the rise in the United States. External ear melanoma (EEM) is rare, and there is little long-term data regarding the clinical behavior of this melanoma site. This study analyzes the demographic, clinicopathologic, and survival characteristics of EEM.

METHODS

The SEER database was queried for EEM cases from 1973 to 2012 (8,982 cases). Data analyzed included patient demographics, incidence trends, and survival outcomes.

RESULTS

External ear melanoma occurred most frequently in the sixth and seventh decades of life. Mean age at diagnosis was 65.5 (±16.8) years. However, the incidence of EEM in adolescents and young adults (ages 15-39 yr) has increased by 111.9% from 1973 to 2012. There was a strong male predilection with a male-to-female ratio of 6.40:1. The most common histologic subtype was malignant melanoma, NOS (46.8%), followed by superficial spreading melanoma (21.4%), and lentigo maligna melanoma (17.9%). The majority of cases were localized at the time of presentation (88.0%), with rare distant metastasis (1.9%). The most common treatment modality was surgery alone (97.6%), followed by surgery with radiotherapy (2.3%). Ten-year disease-specific survival was better among those treated with surgery alone (90.7%), than those treated with surgery with radiotherapy (37.1%) (p < 0.0001). Increasing Breslow's thickness and presence of an ulcerating lesion were both associated with poorer survival (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

This study represents the largest cohort of EEM. It has an excellent survival outcome with surgery being the treatment of choice.

Melanoma of the external ear: A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Primary melanoma of the external ear (PMEE) is rare and therefore well-suited for large population-based registry analysis. The objective of this study was to utilize the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) set of cancer registries to determine the incidence, treatment, and survival characteristics of PMEE.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis of SEER data from 2004 to 2013 identified all cases of PMEE stage I-IV by AJCC 7th edition guidelines. Population-based incidence was calculated. Cancer-specific survival data by stage was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the relative effects of tumor characteristics were analyzed with Cox regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 5481 patients were analyzed (mean age 66.7years, 86.5% male, 93.6% non-Hispanic white). The incidence of PMEE was 1.91 per 100,000 persons-per-year. At diagnosis, 68.1% were stage I, 15.2% were stage II, 4.7% were stage III, 1.5% were stage IV, and 10.8% were unknown. The five-year overall and cancer-specific survival was 78.8% and 90.0%, and, according to AJCC stage, was 85.7% and 95.3% for stage I (n=2287), 64.6% and 81.1% for stage II (n=453), 50.8% and 57.0% for stage III (n=154), 17.2% and 20.5% for stage IV (n=34), and 71.0% and 87.1% for unknown stage (n=330), respectively. The multivariable Cox model identified tumor characteristics that were independently associated with survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to characterize the epidemiology, presentation and outcome of PMEE using the SEER registries. Older age, increasing Breslow thickness, stage, presence of ulceration, positive lymph nodes and distant metastasis each independently predicted time to cancer-specific death.

A systematic review on external ear melanoma

BACKGROUND

External ear melanoma accounts for only 1% of all cutaneous melanomas, and data on its optimal management and prognosis are limited.

AIM

We aim to review the literature on external ear melanoma to guide surgeons in the treatment of this uncommon and peculiar pathology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review of English language studies on ear melanoma published from 1993 to 2013 was performed using the PubMed electronic database. Data on epidemiology, oncological treatment (tumor resection and regional lymph nodes management), and reconstruction were extrapolated from selected papers.

RESULTS

The total number of patients was 858 (30 studies). The helix was the most common location (57%); superficial spreading melanoma was the most common histopathological subtype (41%). The mean Breslow thickness was 2.01 mm, with 88% of stage I-II patients. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in 45% of patients, with 8% of positive nodes. Available data on its prognosis are fragmentary and contrasting, but the Breslow thickness appears to be the main prognostic factor. There is a tendency towards reduced resection margins and preservation of the underlying perichondrium and cartilage. Local flaps are the most popular reconstructive option.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this systematic review presents the largest data series on external ear melanoma. There is no general agreement on its surgical management, but a favorable prognosis seems to justify the tendency towards conservative treatments.

Management of external ear melanoma: the same or something different?

BACKGROUND

The external ear represents a site with high ultraviolet exposure and thin skin overlying cartilage. The aim of this study was to determine if ear melanomas have different characteristics than cutaneous melanomas in other anatomic sites.

METHODS

The evaluation of patients treated at a tertiary care center.

RESULTS

Sixty patients were treated for ear melanoma (87% male, mean age = 56.7, mean thickness = 1.65 mm). Seven of thirty-two patients (22%) who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy had positive nodes. Twenty (33%) patients had recurrence including 6 patients with negative sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and 5 patients with positive SLNs. Three of 10 patients (30%) treated with Mohs surgery had local recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall local and systemic recurrences are similar to those previously reported. There is a higher recurrence rate than expected in patients with a negative SLN and a high local recurrence rate after Mohs surgery. Our data suggest that SLN evaluation may be less accurate in ear melanomas and that Mohs surgery may be associated with a relatively high local recurrence rate.

The Perichondrium in Auricular Melanomas

Objective

Auricular melanomas are now considered less aggressive than originally thought, but those located on the conchal bowl and posterior ear can create particular challenges for reconstruction. Given the paucity of cases, no standardized recommendations exist for tumor resection. In this study, we provide a pathologic basis in support of conservative tumor resection along the perichondrial plane.

Study Design

Case series with review of pathology and medical records.

Setting

Academic tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all ear melanomas from the archives of Yale Dermatopathology and Surgical Pathology laboratories between 1987 and 2009. Cases of melanoma in situ or malignant melanoma of the earlobe were excluded.

Results

Fifty-one cases were included in the study. Patients’ age ranged from 26 to 94 years, with a mean (SD) of 58.9 (17.5) years. The male to female ratio was of 5.4:1. Melanomas were distributed similarly between right and left ears, at 52% and 48%, respectively. The most common location was the helix (74.5%). The Breslow depth ranged from 0.19 to 11 mm, with a mean (SD) of 1.64 (1.6) mm. The lesion-perichondrium distance ranged from 0 to 8.12 mm, with a mean (SD) of 1.11 (1.1) mm. Notably, the perichondrium was not invaded in any of the cases.

Conclusion

Based on the histopathologic characteristics of our cases, the perichondrium can be considered an effective barrier and therefore a biological plane for wide local resection in some cases of auricular melanomas, allowing surgeons to achieve negative margins without necessarily sacrificing underlying cartilage.

[The case of malignant melanoma of the external ear with hidden location]

Melanoma is one of the most malignant neoplasm. Mostly it is located in skin but also can appear in every place where melanocytes are present. Approximately 25% of all of these tumours is located in head and neck region probably because of intensive sun exposure of the skin. The case of the 44-year-old, male patient with malignant melanoma of the external ear was shown in this paper. The patient was asymptomatic and diagnosed accidentally. The suspicion of metastatic lymph nodes of neck was based on CT and ultrasonography examination. The patient was treated by surgical excision (total resection of the right auricle) with one centimeters of free margins. Additionally elective neck's lymph nodes dissection was performed. The histopathological evaluation has shown radical excision of stage II (Clark's scale) malignant melanoma of the ear with negative margins and without metastatic lymph nodes of the neck. The patient was not qualified to radiotherapy by oncologist. No evidence of local recurrences or distant metastasis was detected during a 3 years follow-up period. The epidemiology, clinical and pathological classification of the tumour, diagnostic problems and therapy were described. The prognosis of melanoma depends mostly on the thickness of the tumour but also on level of invasion and presence of ulceration.

Ear melanoma: influence of perichondrium involvement in evaluating surgical strategy

Adequate treatment of melanomas of the external ear offers unique surgical challenges because of the complex anatomical features of the auricle and the need for proper oncologic aggressiveness, as well as for valid aesthetic results. In this study, we evaluated nine different cases of melanoma of the auricle treated in our Institute between 1994 and 2008. Every enrolled patient underwent surgical excision, nonetheless reconstruction was performed with different surgical techniques. In accordance with histological reports, we could observe the absence of neoplastic cells in perichondral bone and in cartilagenous tissue, providing further assurance concerning the importance of preserving the outer ear in expectation of reconstruction. As a matter of fact, it has been proven that it is possible to reconstruct the auricle while guaranteeing oncologic safety in melanomas with a Breslow thickness >1 mm. Therefore, an excision preserving the cartilagenous tissue, thus allowing an efficient full-thickness cutaneous grafting may guarantee good functional and aesthetic results. In conclusion, the suggested therapeutic management may be considered in <1 mm melanomas without taking further unnecessary oncologic risks.

Sentinel Node Biopsy for Head and Neck Melanoma

Objective. This systematic review was conducted to examine the test performance of sentinel node biopsy in head and neck melanoma, including the identification rate and false-negative rate.

Data Sources. PubMed, EMBASE, ASCO, and SSO database searches were conducted to identify studies fulfilling the following inclusion criteria: sentinel node biopsy was performed, lesions were located on the head and neck, and recurrence data for both metastatic and nonmetastatic patients were reported.

Review Methods. Dual-blind data extraction was conducted. Primary outcomes included identification rate and test performance based on completion neck dissection or nodal recurrence.

Results. A total of 3442 patients from 32 studies published between 1990 and 2009 were reviewed. Seventy-eight percent of studies were retrospective and 22% were prospective. Trials varied from 9 to 755 patients (median 55). Mean Breslow depth was 2.53 mm. Median sentinel node biopsy identification rate was 95.2%. More than 1 basin was reported in 33.1% of patients. A median of 2.56 sentinel nodes per patient were excised. Sentinel node biopsy was positive in 15% of patients. Subsequent completion neck dissection was performed in almost all of these patients and revealed additional positive nodes in 13.67%. Median follow-up was 31 months. Across all studies, predictive value positive for nodal recurrence was 13.1% and posttest probability negative was 5%. Median false-negative rate for nodal recurrence was 20.4%.

Conclusion. Sentinel node biopsy of head and neck melanoma is associated with an increased false-negative rate compared with studies of non–head and neck lesions. Positive sentinel node status is highly predictive of recurrence.

Cutaneous lesions of the external ear

Skin diseases on the external aspect of the ear are seen in a variety of medical disciplines. Dermatologists, othorhinolaryngologists, general practitioners, general and plastic surgeons are regularly consulted regarding cutaneous lesions on the ear.

This article will focus on those diseases wherefore surgery or laser therapy is considered as a possible treatment option or which are potentially subject to surgical evaluation.

Melanoma of the Ear

BACKGROUND

In 2005, it is now estimated that one in 62 Americans have a lifetime risk of developing invasive melanoma. Melanoma of the ear accounts for 1% of all cases of melanoma and 14.5% of all head and neck melanomas. With this increase in incidence, plastic surgeons will likely have to treat and manage more of these patients in the future.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed on 199 patients diagnosed with primary melanoma of the ear. Specimens were reviewed by same center dermatopathologists (Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC) for standardization of histologic criteria in all but 10 patients. Surgical treatment and outcomes were reviewed and survival rates based on thickness and stage were calculated. Metastases information, anatomic location on the ear, and histologic subtype were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

The median length of follow up was 3.3 years with a range of 0.4 to 24.9 years. Eighty-six patients were known to be dead at the last known follow-up date. The median survival time among these patients was 7.9 years. The most common histologic classification of the lesions were superficial spreading type (45.2%) and were most likely to be localized to the anterior helix (49.3%). One hundred sixty-one of 199 (80.9%) patients underwent wide local excision with local recurrence rate of 10.6%. Overall, 43.2% of patients developed a local recurrence or metastatic spread. Ulceration, thickness, and stage all negatively affected survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest review of primary ear melanoma cases reported to date. Survival probabilities at 2, 5, and 10 years for melanoma of the ear based on thickness and stage are presented. Ulceration adversely affected survival probability (P < 0.003). Lesion excision with confirmed negative margins on permanent section pathology should be the goal of initial surgical therapy, and there is no apparent role for elective lymph node dissection in treatment of melanoma of the ear.

Melanoma of the ear: prognostic factors and surgical strategies

BACKGROUND

The ear's specific anatomical and lymphatic characteristics impose special requirements on the treatment of melanoma of the ear.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this prospective study was to define prognostic factors for melanoma of the ear and to evaluate surgical strategies for excision margins, histological evaluation and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in order to achieve better cosmetic and functional results.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One-hundred and sixty-one patients with stage I/II melanoma of the external ear were treated in the Department of Dermatology, University of Tuebingen, from March 1976 to March 2004 (median follow-up 62 months). Malignant melanoma of the external ear represented 3% of the stage I/II cutaneous melanomas and 20% of the stage I/II head and neck melanomas recorded in the Melanoma Registry of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Tuebingen. Twenty of 42 lentigo maligna melanomas (LMM) underwent conventional histological evaluation, 22 underwent complete three-dimensional histology of excision margins (3D histology) in a paraffin-technique, i.e. micrographic surgery. SLNB was performed in 28 patients with melanomas thicker than 1.0 mm. Clinical, histological and surgical risk factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The median thickness of the tumours in the present study was 1.08 mm (mean 1.51 mm; range 0.18-8.50 mm), and the median excision margins were 11.0 mm (mean 12.61 mm; range 2.0-31.0 mm). The 3-year disease-specific survival rate was 98%, and the 3-year recurrence-free survival rate was 83%. Tumour thickness and invasion level were the only risk factors significant for disease-specific survival. Tumour thickness, location of the tumour and extent of excision margins were independently significant risk factors for recurrence-free survival. LMMs removed surgically with accompanying 3D histology were thicker than those examined by conventional histology (median 0.93 mm vs. 0.83 mm). The use of surgery with 3D histology, i.e. micrographic surgery, made it possible to reduce the excision margins (median 5 mm vs. 10 mm) without an increased risk of recurrence. Two of 29 SLNBs were positive (6.9%). There were six preregional recurrences after negative SLNB and one after positive SLNB. None of the patients who underwent SLNB died of melanoma-related causes during the observation period.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest series of ear melanomas reported so far. The overall survival depended only on the tumour thickness and Clark level of invasion. Local recurrence was more frequent with smaller excision margins, but this did not influence the overall survival. Smaller excision margins under 3D-histological control did not carry an increased risk of local recurrence. Our results do not permit conclusions regarding the prognostic impact of SLNB for patients with melanoma of the ear.

Malignant melanoma of the auricle

Malignant melanomas are found in a variety of locations, ranging from sun-exposed skin to the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Melanomas arising in the head and neck region comprise some 20% of all melanomas; of these, 7-15% occur in the vicinity of the external ear (most often on the helix). Auricular melanomas, like those arising elsewhere, are rare in childhood and are most often first diagnosed in men in their 50s. Melanomas of the external ear may present as flat pigmented lesions or as raised mass lesions; amelanotic (non-pigmented) variants exist as well. Auricular melanomas are frequently recognized pathologically as either superficial spreading melanomas or nodular melanomas. These tumors are aggressive, with a propensity for spreading to both regional lymph nodes and distant sites. Key pathologic prognostic features of auricular melanomas include the histological subtype, tumor thickness, level of invasion and presence of ulceration. Therapy includes both aggressive surgical attempts at excision in combination with sentinel node sampling in some instances and perhaps, adjuvant therapy as well. This is a tumor which is often overlooked until late in its course, with tragic consequences; vigilance and aggressive attempts at identifying these tumors at earlier stages are strongly advocated.

Tumours of the external ear and temporal bone

Symptoms such as hearing impairment, tinnitus, or a disturbance in sense of balance can generally be attributed to non-neoplastic causes, such as otitis media, otosclerosis, or trauma. Less commonly, auricular signs and symptoms are the result of non-neoplastic and neoplastic space-occupying lesions. The external ear can be the site of development of squamous carcinomas and basal-cell carcinomas; the middle ear and inner ear can host metastatic deposits, and primary squamous carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. Most auricular malignant diseases occur in adulthood; only the rhabdomyosarcomas of the middle ear arise in children. Most malignant diseases of the auricular apparatus are treated by a combination of surgery (commonly including radical excision of temporal bone), radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.

Melanoma

The surgical management of melanoma continues to evolve. A large body of information serves as a foundation for the oncologic principles, surgical excisions, and reconstructive methodologies that are currently in use. This article serves as a guide for the physician considering surgical management of the melanoma patient.

Lymphoscintigraphic drainage patterns of the auricle in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND

In lymphoscintigraphies of the head and neck, multiple injections around a tumor result in variable drainage to multiple nodal basins. We undertook this study in healthy subjects to test whether single injections at specified points in the auricle display single predictable pathways and predict visualization of parotid sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs).

METHODS

Twenty-five healthy subjects were classified according to their injection points in the auricle. Each was injected bilaterally with 99mTc nanocolloid. Parotid and extraparotid lymph nodes were topographically differentiated. The procedure was repeated 1 week later.

RESULTS

Lymphoscintigraphy was reproducible. Each injection revealed a single SLN. Injection site predicted parotid SLN visualization. Two lymphatic territories with parotid or extraparotid drainage were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Lymphatic territories in the auricle coincide with the vascular territories and branchial origins. Our findings contradict the notion that lymphatic drainage of the head and neck is unpredictable and variably involves multiple nodal basins.