The drug is approved to treat the tumors with or without regional lymph node involvement. (stevedalepetworld.com)
The prognosis for patients with metastatic melanoma remains poor, with 5 - year survival rates of 63 percent in patients who have metastatic disease in regional lymph nodes, and only 17 percent in patients who have metastatic disease in distant sites. (sciencedaily.com)
The degree of involvement of regional lymph nodes is predictive of overall survival and is also a key factor in determining the appropriateness of adjuvant therapy and the patient's eligibility for investigational trials. (aafp.org)