Sufficiency and safety of 2-cm excision margin for stage IIA through stage IIC cutaneous melanoma.

Abstract

Question:In patients with clinical stage IIA through IIC cutaneous melanoma thicker than 2 mm, is survival different for a 2-cm local excision margin compared with a 4-cm excision margin? Design: Randomized controlled trial. The trial was not masked at any stage. Setting: Multicenter trial in 53 hospitals in 9 European centers in Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, and Norway. Patients: Patients 75 years or younger with primary cutaneous melanoma thicker than 2 mm and with clinicallylocalizeddisease(clinicalstageIIA-C),onthetrunk or upper or lower extremities. Intervention: Wide 2-cm local excision margin compared with a 4-cm excision margin.