Surgical clinical trials in melanoma.

Over the past 30 years, several important surgery clinical trials examining the issues of excision margins, ELND, and regional therapy have given rise to the current practice guidelines for the care of melanoma patients. The development of the SLN selective lymphadenectomy concept and the increasing use of molecular staging techniques have presented new challenges in this field. Clinical trials have been initiated to address these latest issues. In the next decade, these trials should help guide the integration of the new technologies into the surgical management of melanoma.