Seminars in Oncology
Volume 29, Issue 4 , Pages 370-381, August 2002

Pathologic staging of melanoma☆☆☆

On behalf of the Pathology Committee of the European Organization Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Melanoma Group. From the Department of Pathology, University Medical Center St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Pathology, Institute Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France; Department of Pathology, University of Leuven, Belgium; and the Department of Pathology, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, UK

Abstract 

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) recently launched a new staging system for cutaneous melanoma that was based on clinical experience with a large number of patients treated in major centers worldwide. As this system includes various histopathologic parameters of the primary melanoma and of melanoma metastasis, including micrometastases in the sentinel lymph node (SLN), they are discussed here. Special attention is given to ulceration of the primary tumor, because it remains a dominant prognostic parameter in addition to tumor thickness. Molecular markers that may reflect aggressive behavior of the primary melanoma also are described. Finally, pathologic examination of SLNs is addressed with emphasis on the efficacy of various microstaging approaches. Semin Oncol 29:370-381. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

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☆ Supported in part by the EORTC Melanoma Cooperative Group.

☆☆ Address reprint requests to Professor Dirk J. Ruiter, Department of Pathology, University Medical Center St Radboud, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

PII: S0093-7754(02)50267-0

doi:10.1053/sonc.2002.34116

Seminars in Oncology
Volume 29, Issue 4 , Pages 370-381, August 2002

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