The NCCN Guidelines for Melanoma: Cutaneous provide strategies for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with cutaneous melanoma, which is among the most common cancers in the United States. The outcome of cutaneous melanoma is significantly influenced by stage at initial presentation. Generally, localized disease and smaller primary tumors have been associated with more favorable prognosis. Thus, the select content featured in this issue focuses on risk factors associated with cutaneous melanoma development and which should be considered during an initial assessment. These include (1) phenotypic predispositions, (2) personal medical history or comorbidities, (3) genetic predispositions, and (4) environmental factors.
NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Melanoma: Cutaneous, Version 2.2021
Over the past few years, the NCCN Guidelines for Melanoma: Cutaneous have been expanded to include pathways for treatment of microscopic satellitosis (added in v2.2020), and the following Principles sections: Molecular Testing (added in v2.2019), Systemic Therapy Considerations (added in v2.2020), and Brain Metastases Management (added in v3.2020). The v1.2021 update included additional modifications of these sections and notable revisions to Principles of: Pathology, Surgical Margins for Wide Excision of Primary Melanoma, Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy, Completion/Therapeutic Lymph Node Dissection, and Radiation Therapy. These NCCN Guidelines Insights discuss the important changes to pathology and surgery recommendations, as well as additions to systemic therapy options for patients with advanced disease.