What is the first stage of MM where should you consider sentinel lymph node biopsy?

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Standard treatment of stage II melanoma comprises wide excision of skin around the tumor site. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is optional at this stage because deeper tumors have an increased risk of spreading to a lymph node. Treatment of stage I melanoma involves surgical removal of both the lesion and a margin of unaffected skin. The amount of unaffected skin removed depends on the thickness of the melanoma. No more than 2 cm of normal skin needs to be removed from all sides of stage I melanoma, as wider margins have not been found to improve overall survival. Stage III melanoma requires the same surgical treatment of the primary lesion as accorded to stage II melanoma, along with lymph node dissection. Stage IV melanoma has a very poor prognosis, given that melanoma cells have spread to distant areas of the body at this stage. Surgery may be performed to debulk the tumors and relieve symptoms depending on the location. Metastases that cannot be removed may be treated with regional radiation or adjuvant chemotherapy.

What Is the First Stage of MM Where Should You