The peculiarities of the structure of the lymphatic system in a comprehensive assessment of risk for multiple subclinical regional lymph node involvement in cutaneous melanoma

Introduction. Melanoma skin is a tumor with a high metastatic potential. Often, its lymphogenous spread is realized in the first place. That is why the assessment of the state of the regional zones of lymph drainage is a prognostically significant aspect of the diagnosis of this disease.  

The study objective – to estimate the possible predictive value of the results of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy for multiple regional lymph node involvement in clinically localized cutaneous melanoma.

Materials and methods. The study involved 89 patients with clinically localized cutaneous melanoma who underwent  sentinel lymph node biopsyand regional lymphadennectomy. Morphological findings were compared with the results of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy.  

Results. In this paper, quantitative data such as the number of lymphatic drainage areas, the number of sentinel lymph  nodes in one anatomic region and their combination were considered.  

Conclusion. It was impossible to determine unambiguously the number of involved lymph nodes. However, the lymphoscintigraphic findings were suggestive of a higher risk for multiple lymph node involvement in patients with several accumulation zones and several lymphatic drainage areas.