Biópsia do linfonodo sentinela no melanoma cutâneo

PURPOSE: To assess the importance of sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with cutaneous melanoma. METHODS: Ninety consecutive non-randomized patients with stages I and II melanoma who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy were followed up prospectively for six years. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for a mean period of 30 months. Their mean age was 53.3 years, ranging from 12 to 83 years. Thirty patients were male (37.5%) and 50, female (62.5%). Sentinel lymph node was positive in 32.5% and negative in 67.5%. It was found that the thicker the tumor, the greater the incidence of positive sentinel lymph nodes. In the group of patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes, recurrence occurred in 43.5%, but in those with negative sentinel lymph nodes, in only 7%, what points out to the association of tumor recurrence and positive sentinel lymph nodes. There were no major postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Sentinel lymph node biopsy was demonstrated to be a safe method for selecting patients who need therapeutic lymphadenectomy.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a importância da biópsia do linfonodo sentinela em pacientes com melanoma cutâneo MÉTODOS: Noventa pacientes com estadiamento I e II foram acompanhados prospectivamente no período de seis anos, de forma consecutiva e não randomizada e submetidos a biópsia do linfonodo sentinela. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes foram acompanhados durante tempo médio de 30 meses. A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 53,3 anos, variando de 12 a 83. Quanto ao sexo, foram avaliados 30 pacientes do sexo masculino (37,5%) e 50 do sexo feminino (62,5%).32,5% dos pacientes apresentaram linfonodo sentinela positivo e 67,5% linfonodo sentinela negativos. Comparando-se a espessura tumoral com a positividade do LS, verificou-se que quanto maior a espessura, maior a incidência de positividade do linfonodo sentinela. No grupo de pacientes com LS positivo a recorrência surgiu em 43,5% dos casos, mostrando a relação entre a recorrência e a positividade do LS. Não houve complicações no pós-operatório. CONCLUSÃO: A biópsia do linfonodo sentinela mostrou-se um método seguro para selecionar os pacientes que necessitam de linfadenectomia terapêutica.UNIFESP Post-Graduation Program in Plastic SurgeryUNIFESP Surgery Department Head of Plastic Surgery DivisionUNIFESPUNIFESP Surgery Department Plastic Surgery DivisionUNIFESP Physician of Pathology DepartmentUNIFESP Surgery DepartmentUNIFESP, Post-Graduation Program in Plastic SurgeryUNIFESP, Surgery Department Head of Plastic Surgery DivisionUNIFESP, Surgery Department Plastic Surgery DivisionUNIFESP, Physician of Pathology DepartmentUNIFESP, Surgery DepartmentSciEL