Examining the Utility of Performing Sentinel Node Biopsies for T1 Melanomas with Breslow Depths between 0.75 and 1.0 mm: A Review of a 20 Year Experience

This study evaluated a series of patient data with T1 melanoma to determine, in those cases where Breslow depth is between 0.75 mm and 1 mm, whether Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNBx) is necessary or beneficial. This study represents a chart-review based retrospective analysis of over 1500 patients of Dr. William Jewell accrued over a period of 20 years (1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Of these 1500 patients, over 300 patients received wide excision and subsequent SLNBx. Thirty of these patients fell within the 0.75 to 1.0 mm Breslow depth and had the necessary SLNBx performed. 6% of those with Breslow depths between 0.75 and 1.0 mm had a positive SLNBx compared to 20% of those melanomas with depths between 1 and 2 mm. Furthermore, Clark's level of IV or greater suggested a greater likelihood of positivity at the SLN for T1 melanoma.