Treatment of Recurrent Melanoma
Treatment of recurrent melanoma depends on the stage of the original melanoma, the initial treatment, and the type of recurrence.
Isolated Local Recurrence
In this case, a single melanoma reappears in the area of the original tumor. Recommended treatment depends on the site(s) of recurrence, as shown below.
| Site of Recurrence | Recommended Treatment |
|---|---|
| At the site of the original surgical scar |
Reexcise the site |
| 1 in-transit lesion |
Reexcise the site to a negative surgical margin |
| More than 1 in-transit lesion |
Immunotherapy, systemic chemotherapy, or regional chemotherapy with isolated limb perfusion |
Lymph Node Recurrence
In this case, recurrence is confined to the regional basin of the original lymph node. Recommended treatment depends on the type of previous treatment, as shown below.
| Previous Treatment | Recommended Treatment |
|---|---|
| No previous lymph node dissection | Therapeutic lymph node dissection |
| Sentinel lymph node mapping or sentinel lymph node biopsy | Therapeutic lymph node dissection |
| Therapeutic lymph node dissection or elective lymph node dissection | Excise lymph node recurrence to negative surgical margins |
Distant Recurrence
Treated the same way as stage IV melanoma, including surgery, radiation therapy, and/or systemic therapies.
About Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies to evaluate new therapies and improve cancer care. These studies are responsible for most of the advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. If you have melanoma, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial.
Important Links