Predictors and natural history of in-transit melanoma after sentinel lymphadenectomy

Ann Surg Oncol. 2005 Aug;12(8):587-96. doi: 10.1245/ASO.2005.05.025. Epub 2005 Jun 16.

Abstract

Background: In-transit recurrence is a unique and uncommon pattern of treatment failure in patients with melanoma. Little information exists concerning the incidence, predictors, and natural history of in-transit disease since the introduction of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB).

Methods: Between 1991 and 2001, 1395 patients with primary melanoma underwent SLNB. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association among known clinicopathologic factors, in-transit recurrence, and distant metastatic failure after the development of in-transit disease.

Results: With a median follow-up of 3.9 years, 241 patients (17.3%) experienced disease recurrence, including 91 (6.6%) who developed in-transit recurrence. Independent predictors of in-transit recurrence included age >50 years, a lower extremity location of the primary tumor, Breslow depth, ulceration, and sentinel lymph node (SLN) status. Of the 69 patients who presented with in-transit disease as the sole site of first recurrence, 39 developed distant disease. By univariate analysis, predictors of distant failure among patients with in-transit disease included SLN status, largest metastatic focus in the SLN >2.5 mm2, subcutaneous location of in-transit disease, in-transit tumor size > or = 2 cm, and a disease-free interval before in-transit recurrence of <12 months. In-transit tumor size remained a significant predictor of distant metastasis by multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 9.69).

Conclusions: The overall incidence of in-transit metastases in patients undergoing SLNB is low and does not seem to have increased since the introduction of the SLNB technique. In-transit recurrence, as well as subsequent distant metastatic failure, can be predicted on the basis of adverse tumor factors and SLN status.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Lymph Node Excision
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Male
  • Melanoma / mortality
  • Melanoma / pathology*
  • Melanoma / surgery
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Seeding*
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy* / adverse effects
  • Skin Neoplasms / mortality
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery
  • Survival Analysis