Surgery alone versus post-operative radiotherapy for sinonasal malignant melanoma: a meta-analysis

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveSinonasal malignant melanoma is a relatively rare malignancy with poor prognosis, and effective treatments remain elusive. This analysis aimed to explore whether post-operative radiotherapy conferred any survival advantages in patients with this disease when compared with surgery alone.MethodsPublished studies were identified by searching four electronic databases. The endpoints evaluated were: rates of overall survival, disease-free survival and local control.ResultsTwenty-eight studies including 1392 patients were identified. The results indicated that post-operative radiotherapy led to a significantly better three-year overall survival rate (p= 0.02), and suggested a borderline significant benefit for five-year overall survival (p= 0.05), when compared with surgery alone. However, no statistical advantage was found for disease-free survival, local control or one-year overall survival.ConclusionThis meta-analysis indicated that adjuvant radiotherapy prolonged survival, but showed no benefit for disease-free survival or local control.