World J Oncol

World Journal of Oncology, ISSN 1920-4531 print, 1920-454X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, World J Oncol and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.wjon.org

Original Article

Volume 10, Number 2, April 2019, pages 112-117

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Patients With Thick Primary Cutaneous Melanoma

Figure 1. Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival. SLNB: sentinel lymph node biopsy; SLN: sentinel lymph node. Global comparison: test for equality of survival distributions in different levels of SLN. Log rank (Mantel-Cox) test: P = 0.002.

**Table 1.** Patients Basic Demographics and CM Clinicopathologic Characteristics
	N (%)	SLN (-)	SLN (+)	P value
CM: cutaneous melanoma; SLN: sentinel lymph node.
Gender
Male	28 (56.0)	11 (39.3)	17 (60.7)	0.40
Female	22 (44.0)	11 (50.0)	11 (50.0)
Age
Mean	57.9	56.1	59.4	0.40
Male	60.7	57.6	62.4	0.30
Female	54.6	54.5	54.5	0.90
Site
Trunk	20 (40.0)	7 (35.0)	13 (65.0)	0.08
Extremities	21 (42.0)	8 (38.1)	13 (61.9)
Head and neck	9 (18.0)	7 (77.9)	2 (22.1)
Histological subtype
Nodular	28 (58.3)	14 (61.9)	15 (55.6)	0.13
Superficial spreading	12 (25.0)	4 (19.1)	8 (29.6)
Acral lentiginous	5 (10.4)	1 (4.8)	4 (14.8)
Others	3 (6.3)	3 (13.4)	-

Table 1. Patients Basic Demographics and CM Clinicopathologic Characteristics

N (%)

SLN (-)

SLN (+)

P value

CM: cutaneous melanoma; SLN: sentinel lymph node.

Gender

Male

28 (56.0)

11 (39.3)

17 (60.7)

0.40

Female

22 (44.0)

11 (50.0)

Age

Mean

57.9

56.1

59.4

0.40

Male

60.7

57.6

62.4

0.30

Female

54.6

54.5

0.90

Site

Trunk

20 (40.0)

7 (35.0)

13 (65.0)

0.08

Extremities

21 (42.0)

8 (38.1)

13 (61.9)

Head and neck

9 (18.0)

7 (77.9)

2 (22.1)

Histological subtype

Nodular

28 (58.3)

14 (61.9)

15 (55.6)

0.13

Superficial spreading

12 (25.0)

4 (19.1)

8 (29.6)

Acral lentiginous

5 (10.4)

1 (4.8)

4 (14.8)

Others

3 (6.3)

3 (13.4)

**Table 2.** Distribution of Prognostic Factors According to SLN Status
	Total	SLN (-)	SLN (+)	P value
SLN: sentinel lymph node; MR: mitotic rate.
Breslow (mm)
Mean	5.4	4.9	5.7
Median	5.0	4.3	5.0
Range	4.0 - 12.0
	4.0 - 5.5	17 (77.3%)	18 (64.3%)	0.248
	≥ 5.5	5 (22.7%)	10 (35.7%)
Ulceration
Presence	36 (72.0%)	15 (68.2%)	21 (75.0%)	0.413
Absent	14 (28.0%)	7 (31.8%)	7 (25.0%)
Clark
III	7 (14.0%)	3 (13.6%)	4 (14.3%)	0.510
≥ IV	43 (86.0%)	19 (86.4%)	24 (85.7%)
MR
Mean	4.0	2.9	4.8	0.018
≤ 3	24 (49.0%)	15 (71.4%)	9 (32.1%)
4 - 6	18 (36.7%)	4 (19.0%)	14 (50.0%)	0.024
> 6	7 (14.3%)	2 (9.5%)	5 (17.9%)
Angiolymphatic invasion
Present	12 (24.0%)	4 (18.2%)	8 (28.6%)	0.304
Absent	38 (76.0%)	18 (81.8%)	20 (71.4%)
Satellitosis
Present	5 (10.0%)	3 (13.6%)	2 (7.1%)	0.384
Absent	45 (90.0%)	19 (86.4%)	26 (92.9%)

Table 2. Distribution of Prognostic Factors According to SLN Status

Total

SLN (-)

SLN (+)

P value

SLN: sentinel lymph node; MR: mitotic rate.

Breslow (mm)

Mean

5.4

4.9

5.7

Median

5.0

4.3

5.0

Range

4.0 - 12.0

4.0 - 5.5

17 (77.3%)

18 (64.3%)

0.248

≥ 5.5

5 (22.7%)

10 (35.7%)

Ulceration

Presence

36 (72.0%)

15 (68.2%)

21 (75.0%)

0.413

Absent

14 (28.0%)

7 (31.8%)

7 (25.0%)

Clark

III

7 (14.0%)

3 (13.6%)

4 (14.3%)

0.510

≥ IV

43 (86.0%)

19 (86.4%)

24 (85.7%)

Mean

4.0

2.9

4.8

0.018

≤ 3

24 (49.0%)

15 (71.4%)

9 (32.1%)

4 - 6

18 (36.7%)

4 (19.0%)

14 (50.0%)

0.024

> 6

7 (14.3%)

2 (9.5%)

5 (17.9%)

Angiolymphatic invasion

Present

12 (24.0%)

4 (18.2%)

8 (28.6%)

0.304

Absent

38 (76.0%)

18 (81.8%)

20 (71.4%)

Satellitosis

Present

5 (10.0%)

3 (13.6%)

2 (7.1%)

0.384

Absent

45 (90.0%)

19 (86.4%)

26 (92.9%)

**Table 3.** Survival Years According to SLN Status
SLN	Mean	Median estimation
SLN: sentinel lymph node; CI: confidence interval.
Negative	13.98	2.49	9.10 - 18.87	11.17
Positive	4.05	0.64	2.80 - 5.30	2.58
Global	9.31	1.62	6.14 - 12.49	5.67

Table 3. Survival Years According to SLN Status

SLN

Mean

Median estimation

Estimation

Standard error

95% CI

SLN: sentinel lymph node; CI: confidence interval.

Negative

13.98

2.49

9.10 - 18.87

11.17

Positive

4.05

0.64

2.80 - 5.30

2.58

Global

9.31

1.62

6.14 - 12.49

5.67

**Table 4.** Cox Regression Analysis for Overall Survival
	HR (95% CI)	P value	HR* (95% CI )	P value
HR: hazard ratio; SLNB: sentinel lymph node biopsy; CI: confidence interval; MR: mitotic rate. *HR adjusted by SLNB status.
SLNB (+)	3.8 (1.5 - 9.6)	0.005
MR > 3	3.9 (1.5 - 9.9)	0.004	2.7 (1.0 - 7.5)	0.056
Presence of ulceration	2.2 (0.8 - 6.4)	0.149	1.8 (0.6 - 5.3)	0.286

Table 4. Cox Regression Analysis for Overall Survival

HR (95% CI)

P value

HR* (95% CI )

P value

HR: hazard ratio; SLNB: sentinel lymph node biopsy; CI: confidence interval; MR: mitotic rate. *HR adjusted by SLNB status.

SLNB (+)

3.8 (1.5 - 9.6)

0.005

MR > 3

3.9 (1.5 - 9.9)

0.004

2.7 (1.0 - 7.5)

0.056

Presence of ulceration

2.2 (0.8 - 6.4)

0.149

1.8 (0.6 - 5.3)

0.286