NEW YORK, Jun 01 (Reuters Health) - Ultrasound testing should be routinely
used to make sure that melanoma--a potentially deadly type of skin cancer--has
not spread, researchers report.
In a head-to-head study that compared ultrasound screening to physical
examination by a physician, technology trumped the human touch. If the spread of
cancer had been evaluated based only on a physical examination of the lymph
nodes, about 30% of all cases of cancer spread, or metastasis, would have been
missed, according to a report in the June 1st issue of Cancer.
Since the odds of surviving melanoma that has metastasized are better when
the spread is detected early, the study's authors conclude that ultrasound
screening, a common test, should become a regular part of follow-up care of
people who have had a melanoma removed.
In the study, Dr. Andreas Blum and colleagues at the University of
Tuebingen, Germany, compared ultrasound and physical examination in 1,288 people
who had undergone treatment for melanoma. Over the course of more than 3 years,
the participants underwent both types of screening on several occasions. During
each physical examination, an experienced dermatologist felt an individual's
lymph nodes to detect any abnormalities. Then a physician trained in reading
ultrasound performed a screen on each person. Lymph nodes, which are most
commonly found in the neck, armpit and groin, are often the first site to which
a cancer will spread.
When the results of either test suggested that the cancer had spread, the
suspicious tissue was surgically removed and then examined in the laboratory to
see whether or not it was cancerous. Of the 238 cases of confirmed metastases,
68 were detected by ultrasound alone and were missed during a physical
examination, according to the report.
The odds of surviving melanoma that has spread are better when the cancer is
detected early, so the researchers call for studies to determine whether
following up melanoma patients with ultrasound testing can help them live
longer. In the meantime, they recommend ultrasound screening at least every 3 to
6 months in people who have been treated for melanoma.
