The role of surgery for patients with metastatic melanoma Journal Article


Authors: Allen, P. J.; Coit, D. G.
Article Title: The role of surgery for patients with metastatic melanoma
Abstract: When deciding to perform a resection for metastatic melanoma one should first decide whether the intent of the procedure is curative or palliative. When the resection is palliative, the success of surgical treatment will depend on the presence of identifiable symptoms, the morbidity of the procedure, the course of the disease, and the ability to communicate the treatment goals among surgeon, patient, and family. When the resection is curative, survival will depend on the ability of the surgeon to select patients with a pattern of recurrence suggestive of less aggressive tumor biology. Factors generally found predictive of improved survival, and therefore reflective of tumor biology, include longer disease-free interval, fewer numbers of metastases, and the ability to obtain a complete resection. Resection of metastases in patients who recur within one-year, who present with multiple lesions, and who present with disease that cannot be completely resected, will not result in long-term survival. © 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
Keywords: cancer survival; cancer surgery; review; cancer growth; treatment planning; brain neoplasms; lymph nodes; lymphatic metastasis; lymph node excision; melanoma; metastasis; skin neoplasms; lung neoplasms; morbidity; gastrointestinal neoplasms; lung metastasis; brain metastasis; clinical trials; adrenal gland neoplasms; humans; prognosis; human; priority journal
Journal Title: Current Opinion in Oncology
Volume: 14
Issue: 2
ISSN: 1040-8746
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 2002-03-01
Start Page: 221
End Page: 226
Language: English
DOI: 10.1097/00001622-200203000-00014
PUBMED: 11880715
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 14 November 2014 -- Source: Scopus
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. Peter Allen
    501 Allen
  2. Daniel Coit
    542 Coit