ORIGINAL ARTICLE – MELANOMAS Therapeutic Surgical Management of Palpable Melanoma Groin Metastases: Superficial or Combined Superficial and Deep Groin Lymph Node Dissection

Background. Management of patients with clinically detectable lymph node metastasis to the groin is by ilio-inguinal or combined superficial and deep groin dissection (CGD) according to most literature, but in practice super-ficial groin dissection (SGD) only is still performed in some centers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the experience in CGD versus SGD patients in our center. Methods. Between 1991 and 2009, 121 therapeutic CGD and 48 SGD were performed in 169 melanoma patients with palpable groin metastases at our institute. Median follow-up was 20 and, for survivors, 45 months. Results. In this heterogeneous group of patients, overall (OS) and disease-free survival, local control rates, and morbidity rates were not significantly different betwee