OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the micromorphometric Starz-classification in melanoma patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The micromorphometric Starz-classification suggests that melanoma patients with a sentinel node metastasis invading no more than 0.3 mm (S-I) or 0.31 to 1.0 mm (S-II) below the capsular level can be spared further surgery, while invasion of the metastasis of more than 1.0 mm (S-III) implies a need for completion dissection. METHODS: Seventy patients with sentinel node metastases were studied. Twenty patients with an S-I or S-II classification were spared further surgery and 50 S-III patients underwent completion dissection. The median follow-up time was 33 months. RESULTS: No lymph node recurrences were detected in the 20 S-I, II patients. Six of the 50 S-III patients (12%) had additional involved nodes in the dissection specimen. In these patients no recurrences developed in the cleared regional basins. Overall 3-year survival was 100% in the S-I, II patients and 80% in the S-III patients (P = 0.04). Three-year disease-free survival rates were 83% and 60%, respectively (P = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS: : This study suggests that further surgery is unnecessary in S-I and S-II patients, while it does seem prudent to carry out completion dissection in S-III patients. The distinct survival difference between the 2 groups of patients suggests that the S-classification also has prognostic implications.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the micromorphometric Starz-classification in melanomapatients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The micromorphometric Starz-classification suggests that melanomapatients with a sentinel node metastasis invading no more than 0.3 mm (S-I) or 0.31 to 1.0 mm (S-II) below the capsular level can be spared further surgery, while invasion of the metastasis of more than 1.0 mm (S-III) implies a need for completion dissection. METHODS: Seventy patients with sentinel node metastases were studied. Twenty patients with an S-I or S-II classification were spared further surgery and 50 S-III patients underwent completion dissection. The median follow-up time was 33 months. RESULTS: No lymph node recurrences were detected in the 20 S-I, II patients. Six of the 50 S-III patients (12%) had additional involved nodes in the dissection specimen. In these patients no recurrences developed in the cleared regional basins. Overall 3-year survival was 100% in the S-I, II patients and 80% in the S-III patients (P = 0.04). Three-year disease-free survival rates were 83% and 60%, respectively (P = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS: : This study suggests that further surgery is unnecessary in S-I and S-IIpatients, while it does seem prudent to carry out completion dissection in S-III patients. The distinct survival difference between the 2 groups of patients suggests that the S-classification also has prognostic implications.
Authors: Rajmohan Murali; Alistair J Cochran; Martin G Cook; Joseph D Hillman; Rooshdiya Z Karim; Marc Moncrieff; Hans Starz; John F Thompson; Richard A Scolyer Journal: Cancer Date: 2009-11-01 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Emilia Migliano; Barbara Bellei; Flavio Andrea Govoni; Giovanni Paolino; Caterina Catricalà; Stefania Bucher; Pietro Donati Journal: J Exp Clin Cancer Res Date: 2013-08-01
Authors: Alessandra Buja; Massimo Rugge; Giuseppe De Luca; Manuel Zorzi; Claudia Cozzolino; Antonella Vecchiato; Paolo Del Fiore; Saveria Tropea; Alberto Bortolami; Patrizia Benini; Carlo Riccardo Rossi; Simone Mocellin Journal: Melanoma Res Date: 2022-07-19 Impact factor: 3.199
Authors: Hidde J Veenstra; W Martin C Klop; Maarten J Speijers; Peter J F M Lohuis; Omgo E Nieweg; Harald J Hoekstra; Alfons J M Balm Journal: Ann Surg Oncol Date: 2012-05-11 Impact factor: 5.344
Authors: Amanda A G Nijhuis; Andrew J Spillane; Jonathan R Stretch; Robyn P M Saw; Alexander M Menzies; Roger F Uren; John F Thompson; Omgo E Nieweg Journal: ANZ J Surg Date: 2019-10-30 Impact factor: 1.872