Patricia K. Long, FNP-C, Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
David W. Ollila, MD, Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.

Proper management of patients with biopsy-proven melanoma is vitally important. Patients with melanoma in situ, invasive melanoma <1 mm thick, and invasive melanoma >1 mm thick should have surgical resection margins of 5 mm, 1 cm, and 2 cm, respectively. All patients with melanomas >1 mm should be offered a sentinel node procedure, the most important prognostic variable in this group of patients. All patients with metastatic melanoma in the sentinel node should undergo a complete therapeutic lymphadenectomy.
Key words: melanoma, margin of resection, sentinel node biopsy.