Table 1: Patient and tumor characteristics (N=83).

Male

Mean age (years)

25

64.9 ± 12.8

M.D. Anderson Stage (modified) [7]
   IIIA

   III AB

   III (B)A

   IV

 

34

31

11

7

Primary tumor localization

   Below the knee/elbow

   Above the knee/elbow

   No primary tumor

Highest ITM localization before ILP

  Below the knee/elbow

   Above the knee/elbow

Median number of ITM in time period before ILP

 

70

5

8

 

46

37

8 (IQR 4 – 20)

Median time diagnosis primary to ILP (months)

25.7 (IQR 10 – 65)

Number of previous relapses
   ≤ 1
   > 1

Median time between relapses (months)
Median number of ITM at moment ILP

SNB
   Yes

   No

2 (IQR 1 – 3)
37
46

11.5 (IQR 7 – 19)
5 (IQR 3 – 17)

 

20

63

LND before ILP

   Yes

         Positive
           - positive SNB, negative CLND
              -  Macroscopic involvement
                        - 1 lymph node
                        - 2 lymph nodes
                        - 3 lymph nodes
                        - ≥ 4 lymph nodes

         Negative ELND

 

30

24

6

5

1

1

9

6

LND at moment ILP

 

   Yes

         Positive
               - 1 lymph node
               - 2 lymph nodes
               - 3 lymph nodes
               - 4 lymph nodes
         Negative

70

31

9

2

8

12

39

Clark level primary malignant melanoma

   2 – 3

   4 – 5

Median Breslow (mm) Male 3.4 (IQR 2 – 5) – female 2.4 (IQR 2 – 4)

 

9

57

2.8 (IQR 2 – 4)

Subtype

   Acral lentiginous (median breslow 2 mm (IQR 1.6 – 6.2))

   Superficial spreading (median breslow 2.25 mm (IQR 1.9 – 3.5))

   Nodular (median breslow 3.5 mm (IQR 2.2 – 4.0))

Ulceration

 

11

30

26

   Yes

   No

Mitotic index (/mm²)

   ≤ 6

   > 6

Lymphovascular invasion

   Yes

   No

36

30

 

27

28

 

55

43

N: number of patients; ILP: isolated limb perfusion; ITM: in-transit metastases; SNB: sentinel node biopsy; LND: lymph node dissection; CLND: completion lymph node dissection; ELND: elective lymph node dissection.

Mean values reported with standard deviation; IQR: interquartile range.

Stage III(B)A: patients with a positive LND at least three months before their ILP, who presented at time of perfusion with ITM without nodal recurrence.