No abstract

Male gender is associated with a greater incidence of unfavorable primary tumor characteristics without an increased risk for nodal metastasis. Nonetheless, gender is an independent factor affecting survival.

This is the largest study to evaluate FN SLN results in melanoma, with a FN rate of 10.8%. FN results are associated with greater patient age, lower mean thickness, less frequent LVI, and greater risk of LITR. However, survival of patients with FN SLN is not statistically worse than that of patients with TP SLN.

In locally advanced extremity melanoma treated with HILP, the addition of TNF-alpha to melphalan did not demonstrate a significant enhancement of short-term response rates over melphalan alone by the 3-month follow-up, and TNF-alpha plus melphalan was associated with a higher complication rate.