Desmoplastic neurotropic melanoma: a clinicopathologic analysis of 128 cases

BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested that desmoplastic neurotropic melanoma (DNM) is associated with higher local recurrence rates than other types of melanoma. The authors investigated the local recurrence rates for patients with DNM after surgery alone or surgery followed by radiotherapy (RT). METHODS: One hundred twenty-eight patients with DNM were treated at the Sydney Melanoma Unit and the Sydney Cancer Center from 1996 to 2007. All patients underwent local excision, 27 patients also received RT. For both groups, clinical and pathologic features, treatment details, and local recurrence data were analyzed. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 65.5 years. The ratio of men to women was 2.7:1. The head and neck was the most common location (51%). The median Breslow thickness was 4 mm, and 99% of patients had Clark Level IV or V primary tumors. Patients who received adjuvant RT had thicker tumors (P = .003), deeper Clark level invasion (P < .001), and narrower excision margins (P < .001). There were 8 local recurrences, including 6 (6%) in the surgery only group and 2 (7%) in the adjuvant RT group. A positive margin (P < .001) and head and neck location (P = .03) were significant predictors of local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The local recurrence rate in this series was lower than the rates reported in historic control groups and in the authors' previous temporal cohort. The results indicated that clear surgical margins are of paramount importance in minimizing local recurrence; when margins are compromised, the addition of RT may reduce local recurrence rates compared with historic controls. A prospective randomized trial is needed to quantify the risk reduction with adjuvant RT.     

Clinical outcomes following surgical treatment of lentigo maligna of the head and neck

Introduction: Lentigo maligna (LM), a subtype of melanoma in-situ commonly occurring in the head and neck region, often presents a treatment challenge due to anatomical constraints, particularly on the face of mostly elderly patients. This study sought to assess the clinical outcomes of wide local excision of head and neck LM, identify predictors of recurrence and define optimal excision margins.Materials and Methods: Patients with LM treated between January 1997 and December 2012 were identified from the large institutional database of a tertiary center and their data were analyzed.Results: In 379 patients, 382 lesions were eligible for analysis. Median maximal lesion diameter was 10.5 mm. The mean surgical excision and histopathological clearance margins were 6.2 mm and 4.0 mm, respectively. Median follow-up was 32 months. The LM recurrence rate was 9.9%, and subsequent invasive melanoma developed in 2.3% of cases (mean Breslow thickness 0.7 mm). The recurrence rate was 27.2% if the histological margin was <3.0 mm (median time to recurrence 46.5 months) compared with 2.6% if the margin was ≥3.0 mm. The mean surgical margin required to achieve a histological clearance of ≥3.0 mm was 6.5 mm.Conclusions: Our data suggest that to minimize recurrence, a histological margin of ≥3.0 mm is required. To achieve this, a surgical margin of ≥6.5 mm was required. This is greater than the 5 mm margin recommended in some national guidelines. Careful long-term follow-up is required for all patients because of the risk of recurrence.     

The influence of surgical margins and prognostic factors predicting the risk of local recurrence in 3445 patients with primary cutaneous melanoma

Risk factors associated with local recurrences were analyzed from a series of 3445 clinical Stage I melanoma patients. In single-factor analysis, tumor thickness, ulceration, and increasing age were highly significantly predictive of recurrence (p less than 0.00001). After 5 years of follow-up, local recurrence rates were 0.2% for tumors less than 0.76 mm thick, 2.1% for tumors 0.76 to 1.49 mm thick, 6.4% for tumors 1.5 to 3.99 mm thick, and 13.2% for tumors 4.0 mm or greater in thickness. Ulcerated melanomas recurred more often than nonulcerated lesions (11.5% versus 1.9%). When analyzed as a continuous variable, increasing age increased the risk of local failure. In multifactorial analysis, all of these three factors remained independently predictive of local recurrence. Recurrences were more common with nodular melanomas (5.6%) compared to superficial spreading (2.5%) or lentigo maligna melanoma (2.5%), but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.115). Lower extremity (4.7%) and head and neck lesions (4.4%) recurred more frequently than upper extremity (1.6%) or trunk (1.2%) melanomas (P = 0.0217). The highest recurrence rates were observed in patients with melanomas located on the foot (11.6%) and hand (11.1%). The safety of conservative margins for the excision of low-risk melanomas was demonstrated in a review of 1151 consecutive patients with melanomas less than 1 mm thick where only one local recurrence was observed. Sixty-two percent of these patients had resection margins of 2 cm or less. In 95 patients local recurrence developed as the first site of relapse and were treated with surgical excision. The median survival for this group was 3 years, whereas 20% of this group survived 10 years. These data demonstrate that: (1) the risk of local recurrence rises with increasing tumor thickness, presence of ulceration, and age; (2) melanomas less than 1 mm thick have a very low local recurrence rate, even when excised with margins of 2 cm or less; and (3) local recurrence is a poor prognostic sign because regional and systemic metastases subsequently develop in many patients.     

Radiotherapy does not compensate for positive resection margins in rectal cancer patients: report of a multicenter randomized trial

PURPOSE: Circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement is a prognostic factor for local recurrence in rectal cancer. In a randomized trial comparing preoperative radiotherapy (5 x 5 Gy), followed by total mesorectal excision (TME) with TME alone, we demonstrated the beneficial effect of short-term preoperative radiotherapy on local recurrences. Here we evaluate the effect of radiotherapy on local recurrence rates in patients with different CRM involvements. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Circumferential margins were defined as positive (< or =1 mm), narrow (1.1-2 mm), or wide (>2 mm). Postoperative radiotherapy was mandatory for surgery-only patients with a positive CRM, but was not always administered and enabled us to compare local recurrence rates for patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy. Furthermore, the effect of preoperative radiotherapy was assessed in the different margin groups. RESULTS: Of 120 patients in the surgery-only group with a positive CRM, 47% received postoperative radiotherapy. There was no difference in the local recurrence rate between the irradiated and nonirradiated patients (17.3% vs. 15.7%, p = 0.98). Preoperative radiotherapy was effective in patients with a narrow CRM (0% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.02) or wide CRM (0.9 vs. 5.8%, p < 0.0001), but not in patients with positive margins (9.3% vs. 16.4%, p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Preoperative hypofractionated radiotherapy has a beneficial effect in patients with wide or narrow resection margins, but cannot compensate for microscopically irradical resections resulting in positive margins.     

Vulvar carcinoma. The price of less radical surgery

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine whether modifications in the treatment of patients with vulvar carcinoma influence the rates of recurrence and survival. METHODS: Between 1982 and 1997, 253 patients with T1 and T2 invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva were treated by essentially the same team of gynecologic oncologists, and 168 patients (Group I) underwent radical vulvectomy with en bloc inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy. Standard therapy was changed in 1993, and 85 patients (Group II) underwent wide local excision with inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy through separate incisions. The rates of recurrence and survival were compared between both groups. RESULTS: In Group II, the overall recurrence rate (33.3%) within 4 years was increased compared with Group I (19.9%; P = 0.03). In Group II, 5 of 79 patients (6.3%) developed fatal groin or skin bridge recurrences compared with 2 of 159 patients (1.3%) in Group I (P = 0.029); this did not result in a difference in overall survival. In Group II, 40 of 79 patients had tumor free margins measuring 8 mm, resulting in no local recurrences (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that fatal recurrences in either the groin or the skin bridge were more frequent after wide local excision and inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy through separate incisions; however, probably due to lack of power, this did not result in shorter survival. In 40 of 79 patients, the histologic margins measured 相似文献   

Low recurrence rate after surgery for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: a multidisciplinary approach from a single institution

BACKGROUND: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare sarcoma with a propensity for local recurrence. Treatments with wide excision, Mohs surgery, and other approaches have been reported with widely variable local control rates. The objective of this study was to review the experience with a multidisciplinary approach employing wide excision and Mohs surgery selectively in the treatment of patients with DFSP at a single academic institution over the past 10 years. METHODS: The records of 62 patients with 63 DFSP tumors who underwent wide excision, Mohs surgery, or a multidisciplinary combination approach from January 1991 to December 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. Primary endpoints included the ability to extirpate the DFSP lesion completely, the tumor recurrence rate, and the need for skin grafts or local tissue flaps. Additional objectives included defining surgical practice patterns at the authors' institution. RESULTS: Sixty-three DFSP lesions were removed from 62 patients. At a median follow-up of 4.4 years, no local or distant recurrences were detected in any patient. Forty-three lesions were treated with wide local excision, 11 lesions were treated with Mohs surgery, and 9 lesions were treated with a combination approach. Ninety-five percent of lesions that were approached initially with wide local excision were cleared histologically. Two patients (5%) received postoperative radiation for positive margins after undergoing maximal excision. Eighty-five percent of lesions that were approached initially with Mohs surgery were cleared histologically. The remaining 15% of lesions subsequently were cleared surgically with a wide excision. DFSP lesions that were approached initially with Mohs surgery tended to be smaller. Patients with head and neck lesions most often underwent Mohs surgery or were treated with a multidisciplinary combination approach (87%). CONCLUSIONS: Wide local excision with careful pathologic analysis of margins was found to have a very low recurrence rate and was used for the majority of patients with DFSP lesions at the authors' institution. Wide local excision, Mohs surgery, and a multidisciplinary combination approach, selected based on both tumor and patient factors, were capable of achieving very high local control rates in the treatment of DFSP. The evolution of a multidisciplinary approach has provided a level of expertise that no single individual could achieve for the treatment of the full spectrum of DFSP lesions at the authors' institution.     

Treatment and local control of primary extremity soft tissue sarcomas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Modern series of adult extremity soft tissue sarcomas utilize combinations of modalities in all patients. Remaining questions: 1) is it necessary to strive for wide margins in the multimodality era; 2) to use adjuvant therapy in every high-grade sarcoma? 3) Does previous partial or marginal resection seriously interfere with the definitive resection? METHODS: In a retrospective review of 194 extremity soft tissue sarcomas (1977-1994), limb preservation was possible in 181/194 (93%) of cases. Patients with narrow margins received adjuvant radiation. Some patients were referred after partial (n = 39) or "complete" (n = 63) excision. RESULTS: Local recurrence was observed in 181/141 (13%) of patients treated with wide or compartmental resection, and in 10 of 42 (24%) of those treated with conservative resection plus radiation (P = 0.14). The 5-year survival rate for grade III, >/=5-cm sarcomas was not significantly different (P = 0.82) with adjuvant (46%) or without (48%) adjuvant systemic chemotherapy. Five-year survival varied (P = 0.0001) according to grade. Patients referred with partial, or "complete" (63%, 38/63, had residual tumor at reoperation) excision had a local recurrence rate of 8% and 6%, and 5-year survival rates of 75% and 84%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: 1) It is important to strive for wide margins even when adjuvant radiation is intended. 2) When a wide margin is possible, adjuvant radiation may not be necessary. 3) Adjuvant systemic chemotherapy may be considered for high-grade tumors, preferably within a prospective protocol. 4) A partial or "complete" excision of the tumor before referral to a tertiary center does not appear to compromise the limb preservation, local control, or survival rates of these patients.     

Long term results of a randomized study by the Swedish Melanoma Study Group on 2-cm versus 5-cm resection margins for patients with cutaneous melanoma with a tumor thickness of 0.8-2.0 mm

BACKGROUND: Large, prospective, randomized trials with long term follow-up are required to obtain an unbiased evaluation of the significance of resection margins in patients with cutaneous melanoma. METHODS: The Swedish Melanoma Study Group performed a prospective, randomized, multicenter study of patients with primary melanoma located on trunk or extremities and with a tumor thickness > 0.8 mm and 0.8 mm thick and 相似文献   

Microcystic adnexal carcinoma of the skin: the role of adjuvant radiotherapy

Introduction: Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC) is a rare cutaneous tumour where the role of radiotherapy remains undefined. We contrast our institutional experience with current literature, define the local control rate and suggest a role for adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment of this cancer. Methods: From 1992–2008, a retrospective review was undertaken for MAC treated with curative intent involving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and Mater Hospital Brisbane. Clinical, pathologic and treatment details as well as patterns of recurrence were analysed. Results: Fourteen cases of MAC received local excision and adjuvant radiotherapy. The median age was 71 years old, with nine of the cases in men. All cases occurred in the head and neck region with mean tumour size of 20.5 mm and mean depth of invasion of 9.9 mm. Peri-neural invasion occurred in 56% of cases and 69% had positive surgical margins. Various adjuvant radiotherapy schedules were used to treat the primary site resulting in a crude local control rate of 93%. Primary and nodal relapses were subsequently salvaged with further treatment. Conclusion: While Mohs micrographic surgery may be considered the gold standard, wide local excision and adjuvant radiotherapy offers comparable control rates. Doses of 50 Gy or greater should be prescribed with generous margins (3–5 cm) owing to its tendency for peri-neural and deep invasion. There was no evidence that radiotherapy can cause aggressive transformation of the tumour. The role for definitive radiotherapy remains uncertain.     

Feasibility of limb salvage and survival in soft tissue sarcomas

One hundred nine consecutive patients with soft tissue sarcomas were treated in the period 1977 through 1983. Of 85 patients with extremity sarcomas, only 3 patients (4%) were managed with amputation, whereas in the previous decade, 40% of such patients were treated with amputation in our institute. The current 5-year survival rate is 63%; in the previous decade it was 45%. In the current series, for extremity locations, patients with minimum surgical margins of 2 cm or greater and no further local therapy had a 5-year local recurrence rate of 17%, whereas those with minimum surgical margins of less than 2 cm and who were treated with adjuvant postoperative radiation had a local recurrence rate of 7%. In the previous period, the local recurrence rate was 30% after wide resection and 66.6% after local excision. With a combination of modalities, limb salvage can be practiced currently in the majority of patients with extremity soft tissue sarcomas without any adverse effect on recurrence rates and survival.     

头颈部恶性黑色素瘤28例的治疗及预后因素

目的：探讨影响恶性黑色素瘤的治疗及其预后因素。方法：本院头颈外科1984年-1994年10年间诊断28例恶性黑色素瘤,治疗方法分广泛切除,广泛切除加预防性颈清扫术,广泛切除加治疗性颈清扫术3组,并作回顾性分析。结果：28例患者外院局部切除23例,残留率34.8%。原发灶切除范围分≤2cm组及＞2cm组,五年生存率分别为58%及40%。上述3组的五年生存率分别为80%、80%及39%。结论：原发灶的处理要规范,切除范围2cm以内。对颈淋巴结未及肿大的患者可暂不行颈淋巴结清扫术。颈洒巴结阳性患者可依原发灶的部位不同施行不同方式的颈清扫术,并强调颈清扫术中皮片分离应在颈阔肌浅面进行,以减少术后复发。     

Outcomes of surgery for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

BACKGROUND: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare soft tissue sarcoma usually presenting as nodular cutaneous mass on the trunk and proximal extremity. The tumour grows slowly, typically over years. The standard treatment is wide local excision with at least a 3-cm margin. The local regional recurrence is up to 50%, emphasizing the need for wide margins for local control. A small fraction of DFSP may metastasize, but on histological examination such tumours have features of fibrosarcomas rather than DFSP. HYPOTHESIS: This study was done to review our experience of the time interval to recurrence of DFSP. DESIGN: A retrospective review was undertaken to identify patients with DFSP in our university teaching hospital. METHODS: All patients received their primary surgical treatment in our department between February 1968 and June 2001. Treatment consisted of wide local excision with margins of at least 3 cm. The chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were performed to determine the relationship between recurrence and clinicopathological variables. We evaluated the prognostic variables using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank comparison. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 59 months. The 5 and 10-year disease-free survival (DFS) were 86 and 76%, respectively. The overall recurrence rate was 16.7%. The mean time to recurrence was 38+/-12 months (range 1-100 months). In 30% of those patients with recurrences, the local regional recurrence was after 5 years. CONCLUSION: Wide local excision with good margins decreases local regional recurrences in patients with DFSP. Close surveillance is necessary even beyond 5 years because late recurrences occur.     

Results of Breast-Conserving Therapy for Ductal Carcinomain situ: The Kyoto University Experiences

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of breast-conserving therapy (BCT), defined as the combination of breast-conserving surgery with axillary dissection and definitive radiation therapy for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). METHODS: Between November 1987 and March 1998, 33 patients with DCIS undergoing BCT at our hospital were examined. The mean age was 48. All patients underwent quadrantectomy or wide excision as well as axillary dissection. Radiation therapy consisted of 50 Gy to the ipsilateral whole breast. Boost irradiation of 10 Gy was given to 15 patients with close or positive margins. Nearly all patients received adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil or its derivatives and adjuvant endocrine therapy with tamoxifen for 2 years. RESULTS: The minimum and median follow-up periods were 32 and 80 months, respectively. All patients but one were followed. Only one patient had a non-invasive local recurrence, 23 months after her operation. This patient was salvaged with simple mastectomy. Her prognostic index score was 8. The five-year local control rate was 97%. No serious acute or late complications were noted. CONCLUSION: The results of this retrospective study substantiate favorable data and appear to confirm the efficacy and reasonable local recurrence rate of BCT for the treatment of DCIS.     

The Role of Radiation Therapy in the Management of Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans treated with conservation surgery and radiation therapy.Methods and Materials: A retrospective review was performed of 19 consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans who received radiation as an adjuvant to surgical resection.Results: The patients ages ranged from 19–76 years (median, 40 years); 12 were men. Lesions were located on the trunk in 8, in the head and neck area in 7, and in an extremity in 4. Tumor size ranged from 1.2 to 15 cm (median, 4 cm). Ten patients had at least 1 prior recurrence following earlier resection. Two patients received preoperative radiation to 50 Gy in 5 weeks. Sixteen patients underwent resection followed by radiation (6 of these had positive resection margins). In another patient, the tumor regrew rapidly after resection and definitive radiation was delivered for gross disease. The 6 patients with positive microscopic margins received a median dose of 60 Gy, as did the 10 with negative margins. The 1 patient with gross disease received 65 Gy. At a median follow-up of 6 years, the only patient to develop local recurrence was treated with definitive radiotherapy for gross disease. Actuarial local control was 95% at 10 years.Conclusion: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a radioresponsive tumor and radiation to doses of 50–60 Gy should be considered as an adjuvant to resection if margins are positive. Combined conservation resection and postoperative radiation should also be considered for situations where adequate wide excision alone would result in major cosmetic or functional deficits.     

Local relapse in primary breast cancer patients with unexcised positive surgical margins after lumpectomy, radiotherapy and chemoendocrine therapy

Background: Inadequate surgical excision with residual involvement of resection margins by tumour after breast conservation results in increased local recurrence rates. To reduce this risk positive margins are, therefore, usually excised. Systemic treatment with tamoxifen or chemotherapy reduces local recurrence, along with radiotherapy. However, no studies to date have examined the correlation between chemoendocrine treatment, together with radiotherapy, and local relapse in patients with unexcised involved resection margins, having had breast conservation treatment.Patients and methods: The histopathology reports were reviewed of 184 patients who were treated from June 1991 to August 1995 within our randomised study of neoadjuvant versus adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy with mitozantrone and methotrexate (2M) ± mitomycin-C (3M) and tamoxifen, used concurrently with radiation following conservation surgical treatment. Histological resection margin was considered positive if ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or invasive carcinoma was present microscopically less than 1mm from the excision margin.Results: Although 38% of patients had unexcised microscopically involved margins, local relapse rate as first site of relapse was only 1.9% after a median follow up of 57 months. There was no difference in distant relapse (P = 0.2) and survival (P = 0.5) between the positive and negative margins groups.Conclusions: The presence of positive unexcised margins does not have a significant effect on outcome in patients who are treated with chemoendocrine therapy together with radiotherapy. Further clinical trials are required.     

Prophylactic hyperthermic limb perfusion in stage I melanoma

Ninety-three patients with stage I primary cutaneous malignant melanoma of the lower limb were treated by wide local excision and hyperthermic isolated regional perfusion with melphalan (L-phenylalanine dihydrochloride) in a prospective non-randomized study between 1976 and 1982. Eighteen patients (19.4%) developed recurrent melanoma. Nine had recurrent regional disease, one with in transit metastases and eight with positive regional nodes. Nine patients developed distant metastases. No patient had locally recurrent disease. This series confirmed the close correlation between tumour microstaging, melanoma recurrence and survival. Seventy-nine per cent of patients were disease-free at 5 years. Males had deeper lesions (mean 4.56 mm) and increased recurrence (33%) than females (mean 3.36 mm and 13%). Superficial spreading melanoma had the most favourable prognosis of the three histological types. Overall survival was 83% (female 86%; males 64%) at 5 years. Significant morbidity occurred in two patients with deep vein thrombosis. Adjuvant therapy using hyperthermic regional perfusion provides improved local and intransit control of limb melanoma.     

Extent of excision margin width required in breast conserving surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ

BACKGROUND: Breast conserving surgery (BCS) is common practice for unifocal ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) less than 4 cm in size, but the extent of tumor free margin width around DCIS necessary to minimize recurrence is unclear. METHODS: Clinical and pathologic details were recorded from all patients with pure DCIS < 4 cm in size, treated with BCS between 1978 and 1997. Histologic margins were measured by using an ocular micrometer. Patients with clear margins (> 1 mm) were divided up into 3 groups for analysis based on margin of normal tissue excised: 1.1-5 mm, 5.1-10 mm, and 10.1-40 mm. RESULTS: There were 66 patients with close margins (< or = 1 mm), of which 25 cases (37.9%) recurred. The recurrence rates for the 3 clear margin groups ranged from 4.5-7.1%. Median followup was 47 months (range 12-197 mos). Risk of recurrence in the group with close margins was greater than the subgroups with clear margins (P < 0.001); no differences in recurrence was seen between the individual subgroups with clear margins. Nuclear Grade 3 was predictive of recurrence (P = 0.03). Following excision alone, the recurrence rate was 18.6%, compared with 11.1% when radiotherapy was given as adjuvant therapy. Women with clear margins following excision had a recurrence rate of only 8.1%. CONCLUSION: After BCS for DCIS, close margins were associated with a high risk of local recurrence. Radiotherapy did not compensate for inadequate surgical clearance.     

Desmoplastic malignant melanoma. A clinicohistopathologic study of 25 cases

A clinical and histologic review of 25 patients with melanocytic lesions classified as desmoplastic malignant melanoma is reported. All of the lesions were located in sun-exposed sites. The average age was 61.2 years (range, 38 to 83), with a median age of 56. There were 14 female and 11 male patients. Desmoplastic malignant melanoma is a melanocytic and fibroblastic proliferation that occurs predominantly in the head and neck area. The bland constituent cells resemble fibroblasts and are often arranged in bundles or fascicles, which may be arrayed perpendicularly to the overlying epidermis. Enlarged and/or atypical cells are usually scattered among the spindled cells. Most, but not all, of the tumors (24 of 25 in this series) are associated with lentigo maligna or an atypical junctional melanocytic proliferation. Mitotic figures are always found within the constituent cells of the fibrous-appearing mass, and neurotropism may be present. Patients with desmoplastic melanoma typically present with a mass, which is occasionally associated with a pigmented lesion. The lesions in our series were deeply invasive to level IV or V. Lentigo maligna and a dermal fibroblastic-appearing mass containing atypical cells arranged in fascicles are the most common morphologic features found in desmoplastic melanoma. Follow-up data is available for 23 patients. The average length of follow-up was 2.7 years (range, 0.1 to 9 years). Eighteen patients were observed for 3 or more years. Twelve patients developed local recurrences, and five developed metastases; three of the patients with metastases had a local recurrence before the development of metastases. Three of the patients with metastatic melanoma died of tumor between 2 and 4 years after their initial excision. Eight of the 12 locally recurring lesions were either diagnosed initially as a benign lesion or histologic examination was not performed on the initial excision specimen. It appears that recurrence may be related to inadequate initial therapy.     

Locally advanced melanoma: results of postoperative hypofractionated radiation therapy

BACKGROUND: High rates of locoregional recurrence have been reported from surgical series of locally advanced melanoma. In this study, the outcomes of patients treated with surgery and postoperative hypofractionated radiation therapy were reviewed to assess local recurrence and survival. METHODS: From 1989 to 1998, 174 patients with International Union Against Cancer Stage I-III melanoma received postoperative radiation therapy, either as a component of their initial management or following surgery for recurrence. Radiation was delivered to the primary site in 35 cases and involved regional lymph nodes in 139. The indications for irradiation included microscopically positive surgical margins or other adverse pathologic features. All patients received a hypofractionated schedule of 30-36 grays (Gy) in 5-7 fractions over 2.5 weeks. RESULTS: Recurrence within the radiation fields was identified in 20 patients (11%) at a median time of 6 months. There was no difference in recurrence rates for patients with microscopically positive margins compared with other indications for adjuvant treatment. The main complication of treatment was symptomatic arm lymphedema in 58% of patients following axillary dissection and postoperative irradiation. The median disease specific survival for the entire group was 25 months from radiation therapy, and the 5-year survival was 41%. The only factor that predicted significantly for decreased survival was infield recurrence (the median survival periods were 13 months and 35 months for those with and without infield recurrence, P < 0.0001). The median time to the development of distant metastasis was 19 months. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high incidence of distant metastasis, locoregional control remains an important goal in the management of melanoma. Compared with published surgical data, postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy given according to a hypofractionated schedule was effective in reducing local recurrence in patients at high risk of locoregional failure.     

Eight-year update of a prospective study of wide excision alone for small low- or intermediate-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Whether wide excision with margins ≥1 cm is sufficient treatment for small low- or intermediate-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is unclear. This is an updated analysis of a phase II, single-arm, prospective trial testing this hypothesis. A total of 158 patients with low- or intermediate-grade DCIS who underwent wide excision alone (without radiation or tamoxifen) were entered onto the trial from 1995 to 2002. Entry criteria included mammographic extent ≤2.5 cm, predominantly low or intermediate nuclear grade, and excision with final microscopic margins ≥1 cm. Eight-year minimum potential follow-up was required for inclusion in the analysis; the final population comprised 143 patients. Cumulative incidence curves were generated to assess rates of local recurrence (LR) or other events. Median follow-up time was 11 years. Nineteen patients (13 %) had LR as a first event within 8 years. Thirteen LR (68 %) were DCIS only and six (32 %) were invasive. Fourteen (74 %) occurred in the original quadrant. The 10-year estimated cumulative incidence of LR was 15.6 %. The estimated annual percentage rate of LR was 1.9 % per patient-year. With longer follow-up, there remains a substantial and ongoing risk of LR in patients with favorable DCIS treated with wide excision margins without radiation. This information should be useful as patients and clinicians weigh the options of wide excision with and without radiation.