Could removing just one lymph node stop melanoma from coming back?

NCT ID NCT05839912

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Craig L Slingluff, Jr Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study is testing whether removing only the cancerous lymph node in people with stage III melanoma can prevent the cancer from returning in that same area. Participants have one detectable cancerous lymph node and will undergo surgery to remove it, with or without additional therapy before or after. The trial will also track side effects like swelling and how the surgery affects quality of life.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: surgical removal of a cancerous lymph node
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that a less extensive surgery is enough to control melanoma in the lymph node area, reducing the need for more invasive procedures.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 66 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The cancer could still return in the same area or spread elsewhere.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

melanoma metastatic melanoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

MELANOMA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Cancer Center at the University of Virginia
RECRUITING

Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908, United States
Duke University Health System
RECRUITING

Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States
Emory University
RECRUITING

Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
RECRUITING

New York, New York, 10065, United States
University of Maryland
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States
University of Michigan
RECRUITING

Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States
University of Pennsylvania
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

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