Block dissection by malignant melanoma of head and neck: malignant melanoma from the otorhinolaryngologist's view
2011
Abstract
While the incidence of malignant melanoma rises in recent years, mortality remains the same due to temporaly diagnosis. The decisive prognostic factor in patients without cervical lymph node metastases are mainly tumor thickness, presence of ulceration nad increased mitotic activity.
In patients with metastases to cervical lymph nodes is prognostically significant the number of affected lymph nodes and presence of satellite metastases. For localized malignant melanoma (so called low-riskpatients) plays investigation of sentinel lymph node (SNL) important role.
In high-risk patients (stage III) has the meaning of PET/CT to exclude distant metastases. The fundametal treatment modality of malignant melanoma is wide surgical excision