High-frequency ultrasonography but not 930-nm optical coherence tomography reliably evaluates melanoma thickness in vivo: a prospective validation study.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and rapid surgical excision are essential for improving the prognosis of patients with melanoma. Reflectance confocal microscopy has been validated as a feasible procedure for in vivo diagnosis of melanoma but cannot be used to measure tumour thickness. However, ultrasonography and optical coherence tomography may allow melanoma thickness to be measured in vivo. OBJECTIVES: To validate the accuracy and reliability of high-frequency ultrasonography (HFUS) and optical coherence tomography for assessing melanoma thickness in vivo. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study on 131 patients with at least one equivocal melanocytic lesion. Each lesion underwent optical coherence tomography and HFUS assessment, followed by excision and pathological examination. Histopathology was considered to be the gold standard for assessing melanoma thickness. Repeatability, inter- and intrarater reproducibility and reliability were evaluated for each imaging procedure. RESULTS: Ultrasonography showed a good level of agreement with histology [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.807; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.703-0.877] and excellent inter-rater reproducibility (G = 0.97), resulting in reliable in vivo assessment of melanoma thickness. The 930-nm optical coherence tomography showed a poor level of agreement with histopathology (ICC 0.0; 95% CI -0.2-0.2) and the inter-rater reproducibility was null (G = 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: HFUS is a reliable and reproducible noninvasive method for assessing melanoma thickness. Routine use of HFUS may allow single-step excision of equivocal melanocytic lesions, with surgical margins determined by in vivo assessment of tumour thickness.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma is becoming a consensus: a national survey of French centres involved in melanoma care in 2008.

BACKGROUND: The role of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in melanoma care remains controversial and is not included in most guidelines for the management of melanoma in Europe. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the practice of SLN biopsy for melanoma. METHODS: In 2008, a self-administered questionnaire was mailed to physicians in 49 hospitals in France. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by 34 (69.3%). A median number of 90 new cases of melanoma were treated each year per centre. SLN biopsy was performed routinely in 21 (61.7%) centres. The practice of SLN biopsy for melanoma was recommended in the local guidelines in 53% of centres. The proportion of patients reported as undergoing SLN biopsy for melanoma was significantly higher in centres with local guidelines than in centres without local guidelines (33.4 ± 21.4% vs. 13.1 ± 21.8%; P = 0.003). Where the local guidelines recommended SLN biopsy (n = 21), it was advocated in the case of Breslow thickness ≥1.0 mm (76%) and/or ulceration of the primary melanoma (38%) and/or histological regression of the primary melanoma (24%). CONCLUSION: Our study may be considered representative of SLN practice in France. Contrary to current national guidelines for melanoma care in France, SLN biopsy is routinely recommended in the majority of centres. Our study shows that the practice of SLN biopsy for melanoma is increasingly performed in patients with intermediate Breslow melanoma.