Melanomas

Posted on November 14th, 2008 by Canadian Health in Vulva cancer

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Melanomas are the second most common vulvar malignancy and occur frequently in white women between the ages of 50 and 80 years. Melanomas may arise from preexisting lesions and occur mainly on the labia minora and clitoris. Patients at increased risk for melanoma include those with a family history of melanoma and those with dysplastic nevi elsewhere on the body. Dysplastic melanoma nevi occur in 2-5% of white adults and in one third of patients with cutaneous melanoma. Most patients present with a lump or tumor on the external genitalia, although complaints of itching, bleeding, or discharge are often described. A change in a preexisting mole may Not prompt some patients to seek attention because it is difficult to observe vulvar lesions adequately. Most pigmented lesions in this location should be excised unless they have been present and unchanged for years. Considerable debate centers viagra super active on the optimal treatment for vulvar melanoma as well as those clinical pathologic factors influencing prognosis. Primary tumors can be assessed by microstaging with the Breslow microstaging classification. According to the Breslow tumor thickness classification, a 0.75-mm depth of invasion has a 95-99% 5-year survival rating; a 0.76- to 1.49-mm thickness has a 90-95% survival rating; a 1.50- to 4.00-mm thickness has a 60-75% survival rating; and a depth of invasion greater than 4.00 mm has a survival rating of less than 50%. Tumor thickness, inguinal Node metastasis, and older age at diagnosis are independent prognostic factors. Radical vulvectomy does Not seem to improve survival compared with less radical procedures. Radical local excision for patients with malignant melanoma of the vulva is recommended canadian pharmacy. Whether patients who have more than a superficially invasive melanoma should also have inguinal lymph Node dissection is controversial.
Some investigators have observed that ulceration, tumor thickness, and positive inguinal lymph Nodes are the most important prognostic factors. A low-risk and a high-risk group of patients have been identified for recurrence. The low-risk patient has a Nonulcerative tumor less than 3 mm thick without clinical evidence of inguinal lymph Node metastases and can be treated by local excision with a 2-to 3-cm margin. The high-risk patient has a tumor that is ulcerative or more than 3 mm thick and has also been treated by local excision without elective inguinal Node dissection. If clinical suspicion of inguinal Node metastases exists, inguinal Node dissection is indicated for better local control of the disease.

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