Radiation therapy following lymph node dissection in melanoma patients: treatment, outcome and complications

Abstract

Adjuvant radiation treatment following lymph node dissection in the melanoma patient has been suggested and investigated in an attempt to gain regional control and improve survival. In this review we discussed the treatment, the loco-regional control, disease-free and survival rates and complications. Historically melanoma has been thought of as a relatively radioresistant tumour. Nowadays, radiation delivered according to the hypofractionated schedule is the most used, although there are no data to confirm that this schedule improves the therapeutic impact. Almost all the reviewed studies were retrospective, which could have led to an underestimation of the true incidence of the treatment toxicity and morbidity. Adjuvant radiotherapy after lymph node dissection for metastases of melanoma seems to improve loco-regional control without improving overall survival. The available data indicate the need for improved regional control rates in patients with extranodal extension, multiple involved nodes (more than three) and patients with large involved nodes (larger than 3 cm). The complications seem manageable and consist mainly of fibrosis and edema.