Melanoma is a malignant proliferation of melanocytes. This article details the features, diagnosis, role of sentinel node biopsy and staging.
Summary Card
Definition
A malignant tumour of melanocytes.
Risk Factors
Environment (radiation), genetic (BRAF) and patient-related factors (skin type and medical history)
Diagnosis
Clinical suspicion is confirmed with a histological diagnosis.
Types of Melanoma
Superficial spreading, nodular, lentigo, acral, subungual, amelanocytic and desmoplastic.
Wide Local Excision
Margins are dependent on the Breslow thickness.
Sentinel Node Biopsy
Indicated ≥ pT2a or ≥ pT1b with high-risk features. Techniques include radioactive isotope, blue dye and indocyanine green.
Management of a +SLNB
Three options: complete lymph node dissection, observation, and adjuvant therapies.
Staging Melanoma
TNM classification from the AJCC 8th Edition.
Flashcards
Evidence-based spaced repetition and active recall
Definition of Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumour of melanocytes. Melanocytes are derived from the neural crest and synthesise melanin.

Risk Factors for Melanoma
Key Point
The risk of melanoma is dependent on the environment (radiation), genetic (BRAF) and patient-related factors (skin type and medical history)
Ultraviolet Radiation
The risk of melanoma increases with age from natural cumulative sun exposure. There is a strong correlation with the following:
- UVA (315-400nm): sunbeds, DNA damaged by oxygen radicals
- UVB (280-315nm): sunburn, absorbed by DNA, chromosomal damage.
- UVC (200-280nm): filters by ozone
Fitzpatrick Type I + II
- Individuals with fair skin, hair, and eye colour
- Susceptibility to oncogenic UV damage in genes linked with pigmentation
Co-Morbidities
- Skin Lesions: previous melanoma, dysplastic lesions, giant CMNs
- Organ transplantation/immunosuppression
- Genetic syndromes: FAMM Syndrome
Diagnosis of Melanoma
Key Point
Melanoma is a clinical suspicion confirmed with a histological diagnosis.
Clinical Suspicion
Cutaneous melanoma can be clinically suspected based on a history of lesion evolution and specific features on examination.
The classic feature is an asymmetrically pigmented lesion of variegated colour with an irregular border that is evolving. The ABCDE provides a diameter >6mm.

Histological Diagnosis
Melanoma is a histological diagnosis. This is a key differentiator to basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, which can be resected based on a confident clinical examination.
Initial histology can be obtained by:
- Excisional Biopsy with a 2mm margin and cuff of fat
- Incisional biopsy if primary closure is not possible and reconstruction required
- Punch Biopsy can be considered but can affect Breslow thickness.
- Shave or curettage is not recommended.

A melanoma histology report will provide the following information:
- Relevant clinical information
- Type of surgery: excisional, incisional, punch
- Location: most commonly on the trunk
- Macroscopic: vertical and depth dimensions
- Subtype: superficial, nodular, acral, lentigo, amelanocytic, desmoplastic
- Margins: margins excised if excisional biopsy performed
- Ulceration: full thickness loss of epidermis, a poor prognostic sign
- Mitosis: a marker for tumour activity, a poor prognostic sign
- Breslow Thickness: status granulosum to the deepest part of the lesion.
- BRAF status: if requested, can decide suitability for immunotherapy.
- Clarkes Level: level of dermal invasion
- Growth: radial or vertical, regression, LVI, PNI, microsatellites
Types of Melanoma
Key Point
The most common histological subtype is superficial spreading. Other subtypes include nodular, lentigo, acral, subungual, amelanocytic and desmoplastic.
There are several different histological melanoma subtypes. These subtypes have specific clinical features and prognoses. The most common melanomas are superficial spreading.
- Superficial spreading: radial then vertical growth phases.
- Nodular: is more aggressive because it lacks a radial growth phase
- Lentigo Maligna Melanoma: arising from a lentigo maligna.
- Acral Lentiginous: usually occurs on palms, soles and nails.
- Amelanocytic: a melanoma without pigment.
- Desmoplastic: high local recurrence rates.

Wide Local Excision of Melanoma
Key Point
The margins on a wide local excision are dependent on the Breslow thickness.
Wide Local Excision
The current guidelines for the excision of a histological-confirmed melanoma are based on the Breslow thickness of the lesion.
- Lentigo Maligna (in-situ): 0.5mm with a cuff of fat
- Breslow ≤ 1mm: 1cm peripheral margin, down to fascia deep margin
- Breslow 1-2mm: 1-2cm peripheral margin, down to fascia deep margin
- Breslow >2mm: 2 cm peripheral margin, down to fascia deep margin

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Key Point
A sentinel node biopsy is indicated in melanoma ≥ pT2a or ≥ pT1b with high-risk features. Techniques include radioactive isotope, blue dye and indocyanine green.
A sentinel node is the first lymph node receiving lymphatic drainage from a specific area and is representative of that nodal basin1. The sentinel node has a role in prognosis, treatment pathways and staging. It should be performed at the time of wide local excision, if indicated.
Indications for SLNB
The primary role of sentinel node biopsy is changing from that of a prognostic indicator to one that now influences access to adjuvant therapy6.
- Primary Cutaneous Melanoma ≥ pT2a
- Primary Cutaneous Melanoma ≥ pT1b considered if LVI or Mitotis ≥ 2mm
It is not currently indicated for pT1a melanomas because the frequency of sentinel lymph node metastasis is <5% 8,9 compared to 4-12% for pT1b6 and 30% for BT>4mm8.10.
Effect of SLNB on Treatment
For those with a positive sentinel node, upstaging the disease allows earlier identification for adjuvant therapies. It also allows them to be categorized in a “high-risk follow-up group”7.
A patient with pT1b melanoma has 2 options:
- No SLNB = clinical Stage 1B with a 5-year survival of 97%3.
- Negative SLNB = pathological Stage 1A with a 5-year survival of 99%3.
- Positive SLNB = pathological Stage 1B.

Techniques
The 3 commonly used techniques for sentinel node biopsies are radioactive isotope, blue dye or indocyanine green.
Radioactive Isotope
- Intradermal injection of a radiotracer at the tumour site & lymphoscintigraphy
- A handheld gamma probe guides dissection
- Usually, Technetium-99m–labelled radiocolloids
Blue Dyes (initially used by Morton et al)
- Blue dye alone sensitivity of 81% (Silvestri, 2019).
- Patent Blue V, isosulfan blue and methylene blue are commonly used.
- Anaphylaxis, obscured dissection, tattooing, interferes with pulse oximetry.
Indocyanine Green
- Indocyanine green is a fluorescent tricarbocyanine dye
- Sensitivity: 91- 98%, with a specificity of 100% (Clloyd, 2014).
- It cannot be used in patients with iodine or shellfish allergies.
Positive Sentinel Node in Melanoma
Key Point
Following a positive sentinel node, patients and doctors have three options: complete lymph node dissection, observation, and adjuvant therapies. These patients are now Stage III disease.
Completion Lymph Node Dissection in Melanoma
Complete lymph node dissection should not be routinely recommended for patients who have a positive sentinel node biopsy6. Consider this treatment option in patients who are high risk of regional relapse based on their sentinel node results:
- Extra-capsular spread
- 3 or more sentinel nodes
- Dewar Criteria12 (multifocal and extensive).
- Node-only recurrence having failed first-line systemic treatment.
The MSLT-213 and DeCOG14 Trials reported on the outcome of patients with a positive sentinel node randomised into observation and surgery. Key results include:
- No survival advantage over radiological observation
- Increase risk of nodal recurrence in those patients with observation
Patients undergoing immediate lymph node dissection have
- Increased rate of regional disease control13
- Prognostic information13
- No increase in melanoma-specific survival13
- An increased risk of morbidity in nodal dissection patients15
With head and neck melanomas, adjuvant therapy is preferred to neck dissection3.
Adjuvant Therapy in Melanoma
Discussed in more detail: Oncological Adjuvant Therapies in Melanoma
Current guidelines state adjuvant therapy should be available to Stage 3 patients.
Generally speaking, patients deemed at high risk with a positive sentinel node should be considered for melanoma adjuvant therapy. A lymph node dissection could be considered if they have a node-only recurrence post-adjuvant treatment.
Radiological Observation in Melanoma
There is currently no consensus for ideal imaging in melanoma7
Current options include:
- Ultrasound: MLST and DeCOG Trials but does have operator dependability5
- CT/PET: more sensitive to picking up recurrences5
- MRI is used in some UK centres6
Imaging surveillance will differ for those on adjuvant systemic therapy.
Staging Melanoma
Key Point
Melanoma is classified and stages using the TNM system from the AJCC 8th Edition.

AJCC Version 8 Updates
This article is written with the most recent version of AJCC and other publications, as referenced below. The following is a list of V8 updates3
Histology Reports
- Tumour thickness: record to the nearest 0.1 mm, not 0.01 mm
- Mitotic rate no longer a T category criterion (increased mitotic rate decreases melanoma-specific survival3)
Pathological Staging
- pT1a <0.8 mm without ulceration
- pT1b 0.8‐1.0 mm with or without ulceration or <0.8 mm with ulceration
- Pathological stage IA is revised to include T1b N0 M0 (formerly stage IB);
Metastatic disease
- N: “microscopic” and “macroscopic” is now clinically "occult" and "apparent".
- M1 subcategory designation for LDH (no longer upstages to M1c).
- M1d designation is added for central nervous system metastases.
Flashcards
This deck is continually updated for thePlasticsPro users.
References
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- Ribero S, Osella-Abate S, Sanlorenzo M, et al. Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Thick-Melanoma Patients (N=350): What is Its Prognostic Role? Ann Surg Oncol. Published online November 12, 2014:1967-1973. doi:10.1245/s10434-014-4211-7
- Madu MF, Wouters MWJM, van Akkooi ACJ. Sentinel node biopsy in melanoma: Current controversies addressed. European Journal of Surgical Oncology (EJSO). Published online March 2017:517-533. doi:10.1016/j.ejso.2016.08.007
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- Leiter UM, Stadler R, Mauch C, et al. Final analysis of DECOG-SLT trial: Survival outcomes of complete lymph node dissection in melanoma patients with positive sentinel node. JCO. Published online May 20, 2018:9501-9501. doi:10.1200/jco.2018.36.15_suppl.9501
- Faries MB, Thompson JF, et al. The Impact on Morbidity and Length of Stay of Early Versus Delayed Complete Lymphadenectomy in Melanoma: Results of the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial (I). Ann Surg Oncol. Published online July 8, 2010:3324-3329. doi:10.1245/s10434-010-1203-0
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