BACKGROUND: Melanoma is a commonly occurring cancer in Canada, with an estimated age-standardized incidence of 10 to 13 per 100,000. An estimated 4,300 new cases were diagnosed, and there were 800 reported deaths in 2005. OBJECTIVE AND CONCLUSION: The Canadian Expert Panel on Malignant Melanoma has developed best practices to improve the management of malignant melanoma. Sections include recommendations on primary diagnosis, dermatopathologic assessment, and reporting; use of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and an intraoperative gamma probe to map and biopsy the sentinel lymph node; indications for surgical resection, sentinel node biopsy, and surgery for advance disease; use of interferon-alpha adjuvant therapy and treatment options for stage IV disease; and management of central nervous system metastases.
BACKGROUND:Melanoma is a commonly occurring cancer in Canada, with an estimated age-standardized incidence of 10 to 13 per 100,000. An estimated 4,300 new cases were diagnosed, and there were 800 reported deaths in 2005. OBJECTIVE AND CONCLUSION: The Canadian Expert Panel on Malignant Melanoma has developed best practices to improve the management of malignant melanoma. Sections include recommendations on primary diagnosis, dermatopathologic assessment, and reporting; use of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and an intraoperative gamma probe to map and biopsy the sentinel lymph node; indications for surgical resection, sentinel node biopsy, and surgery for advance disease; use of interferon-alpha adjuvant therapy and treatment options for stage IV disease; and management of central nervous system metastases.
Authors: Marta Batus; Salman Waheed; Carl Ruby; Lindsay Petersen; Steven D Bines; Howard L Kaufman Journal: Am J Clin Dermatol Date: 2013-06 Impact factor: 7.403