Evaluation of the Indications for Sentinel Node Biopsy in Early-Stage Melanoma with the Advent of Adjuvant Systemic Therapy: An International, Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND: Patients presenting with early-stage melanoma (AJCC pT1b-pT2a) reportedly have a relatively low risk of a positive SNB (~5–10%). Those patients are usually found to have low-volume metastatic disease after SNB, typically reclassified to AJCC stage IIIA, with an excellent prognosis of ~90% 5-year survival. Currently, adjuvant systemic therapy is not routinely recommended for most patients with AJCC stage IIIA melanoma. The purpose was to assess the SN-positivity rate in early-stage melanoma and to identify primary tumor characteristics associated with high-risk nodal disease eligible for adjuvant systemic therapy METHODS: An international, multicenter retrospective cohort study from 7 large-volume cancer centers identified 3,610 patients with early primary cutaneous melanomas 0.8–2.0 mm in Breslow thickness (pT1b-pT2a; AJCC 8th edition). Patient demographics, primary tumor characteristics, and SNB status/details were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall SNB-positivity rate was 11.4% (412/3610). Virtually all SNB-positive patients (409/412; 99.3%) were reclassified to AJCC stage IIIA. Multivariate analysis identified age, T-stage, mitotic rate, primary site and subtype, and lymphovascular invasion as independent predictors of sentinel node status. A mitotic rate of >1/mm(2) was associated with a significantly increased SN-positivity rate and was the only significant independent predictor of high-risk SNB metastases (>1 mm maximum diameter). CONCLUSIONS: The new treatment paradigm brings into question the role of SNB for patients with early-stage melanoma. The results of this large international cohort study suggest that a reevaluation of the indications for SNB for some patients with early-stage melanoma is required.