Breslow thickness ≥ 0.75 mm, Clark level ≥ IV, and ulceration significantly predict SLN disease in thin melanoma. Most SLN metastases (86.2%) occur in melanomas ≥ 0.75 mm, with 6.3% of these patients having SLN disease, whereas in melanomas < 0.75 mm, SLN metastasis rates are < 5%. By using a 5% metastasis risk threshold, SLNB is indicated for melanomas ≥ 0.75 mm, but further study is needed to define indications for SLNB in melanomas < 0.75 mm.

Using a standardized surgical approach including meticulous pathologic evaluation of margins, a very low recurrence rate (1%) was achieved with relatively narrow margins (median 2 cm), allowing primary closure in 69% of patients. This approach spares the additional morbidity associated with wider resection margins and in our experience represents the treatment of choice for DFSP occurring on the trunk and extremities.

A single-institution pilot clinical trial was performed combining non-myeloablative chemotherapy and the adoptive transfer of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes with IL-2 in patients with metastatic melanoma. Nineteen patients were enrolled with 13 patients (68%) successfully completing treatment. An overall response rate (partial and complete responses) of 26% by intention to treat was achieved with a median follow-up time of 10 months. Of the 13 treated patients, there were 2 complete responses and 3 partial responses (38% response rate among treated patients), along with 4 patients with stable disease ranging from 2+ to 24+ months. Three of the four patients with stable disease have had disease control without additional therapy, including one at 24+ months. Adoptive therapy with TIL is labor-intensive but feasible and has a high response rate in treated patients.

BACKGROUND Desmoplastic melanoma may have a high risk of local recurrence after wide excision. The authors hypothesized that adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) would improve local control in patients with desmoplastic melanoma, resulting in at least a 10% absolute decrease in local recurrence rate. METHODS A total of 277 patients from 1989 through 2010 who were treated for nonmetastatic desmoplastic melanoma by surgery with or without adjuvant RT were reviewed. Clinicopathologic and treatment variables were assessed with regard to their role in local control. RESULTS A total of 113 patients (40.8%) received adjuvant RT. After a median follow-up of 43.1 months, adjuvant RT was found to be independently associated with improved local control on multivariable analysis (hazards ratio, 0.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.39 [P <.001]). Among 35 patients with positive resection margins, 14% who received RT developed a local recurrence versus 54% who did not (P =.004). In patients with negative resection margins, there was a trend (P =.09) toward improved local control with RT. In patients with negative resection margins and traditionally high-risk features, including a head and neck tumor location, a Breslow depth > 4 mm, or a Clark level V tumor, RT was found to significantly improve local control (P <.05). The data from the current study would suggest that patients who would be good candidates for omitting RT included those with negative resection margins, a Breslow depth ≤4 mm, and either no perineural invasion present or a non-head and neck tumor location. CONCLUSIONS RT for desmoplastic melanoma was independently associated with improved local control. Patients with positive resection margins or deeper tumors appeared to benefit the most from RT, whereas selected low-risk patients can safely omit RT.

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BACKGROUND The purposes of this study were 1) to determine the impact of primary tumor-related factors on the prediction of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) status and 2) to identify clinical and pathologic factors associated with survival in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). METHODS An institutional review board–approved, retrospective review of patients with MCC treated between 1988 and 2011 at a single center was performed. Patients were categorized into 5 groups: 1) negative SLN, 2) positive SLN, 3) clinically node-negative but SLN biopsy not performed, 4) regional nodal disease without a known primary tumor, and 5) primary MCC with synchronous clinically evident regional nodal disease. Factors predictive of the SLN status were analyzed with logistic regressions, and overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were analyzed with Cox models and competing risk models assuming proportional hazards, respectively. RESULTS Three hundred seventy-five patients were analyzed, and 70% were male; the median age was 75 years. The median tumor diameter was 1.5 cm (range, 0.2–12.5 cm), and the median tumor depth was 4.8 mm (range, 0.3–45.0 mm). One hundred ninety-one patients underwent SLN biopsy, and 59 (31%) were SLN-positive. Increasing primary tumor diameter and increasing tumor depth were associated with SLN positivity (P =.007 and P =.017, respectively). Age and sex were not associated with the SLN status. Immunosuppression, increasing tumor diameter, and increasing tumor depth were associated with worse OS (P <.01, P =.003, and P <.025, respectively). DSS differed significantly by group and was best for patients with a negative SLN and worst for those with primary MCC and synchronous clinically evident nodal disease (P =.01). CONCLUSION For patients with MCC, increasing primary tumor diameter and increasing tumor depth are independently predictive of a positive SLN, worse OS, and worse DSS. Tumor depth should be routinely reported when primary MCC specimens are being evaluated histopathologically.

Introduction Cutaneous leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare dermal-based tumor for which treatment algorithms have been poorly defined. We report our single institution experience treating cutaneous LMS using a median of a 1 cm margin for resection. Methods An IRB approved review of patients with cutaneous LMS from 2005-2010 was performed with outcomes reported. Results 33 patients with cutaneous LMS were treated, 76% were male, 97% were Caucasian with a median age of 63.5 years. 67% of tumors were located on the extremities. Pre-operative staging was negative for distant metastasis in all patients. 88% of tumors were low grade with a median tumor size of 1.3 cm. 100% of tumors tested for smooth muscle actin were positive. A majority (94%) of patients underwent primary surgical resection with a median margin of 1 cm. Final resection margin was negative in 32/33 (97%). Adjuvant radiotherapy was used in 15%. There were no recurrences or metastastic spread and 100% were alive at last follow up, median of 15.5 months. Conclusions Cutaneous LMS is primarily a low-grade malignancy affecting elderly male Caucasians. Good oncologic control and an excellent outcome are possible with a 1 cm resection margin in the vast majority of cases.

BACKGROUND Shave biopsy of cutaneous lesions is simple, efficient, and commonly used clinically. However, this technique has been criticized for its potential to hamper accurate diagnosis and microstaging of melanoma, thereby complicating treatment decision-making. STUDY DESIGN We retrospectively analyzed a consecutive series of patients referred to the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center or to the Moffitt Cancer Center for treatment of primary cutaneous melanoma, initially diagnosed on shave biopsy to have Breslow depth < 2 mm, to determine the accuracy of shave biopsy in T-staging and the potential impact on definitive surgical treatment and outcomes. RESULTS Six hundred patients undergoing shave biopsy were diagnosed with melanoma from extremity (42%), trunk (37%), and head or neck (21%). Mean (± SEM) Breslow thickness was 0.73 ± 0.02 mm; 6.2% of lesions were ulcerated. At the time of wide excision, residual melanoma was found in 133 (22%), resulting in T-stage upstaging for 18 patients (3%). Recommendations for additional wide excision or sentinel lymph node biopsy changed in 12 of 600 (2%) and 8 of 600 patients (1.3%), respectively. Locoregional recurrence occurred in 10 (1.7%) patients and distant recurrence in 4 (0.7%) patients. CONCLUSIONS These data challenge the surgical dogma that full-thickness excisional biopsy of suspicious cutaneous lesions is the only method that can lead to accurate diagnosis. Data obtained on shave biopsy of melanoma are reliable and accurate in the overwhelming majority of cases (97%). The use of shave biopsy does not complicate or compromise management of the overwhelming majority of patients with malignant melanoma.