Cutaneous malignant melanoma (arizona cancer center experience). I. Natural history and prognostic factors influencing survival in patients with stage i disease

Frank L. Meyskens, Donald H. Berdeaux, Bruce Parks, Tony Tong, Lois Loescher, Thomas E. Moon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

54 Scopus citations

Abstract

The authors have studied the natural history of 377 patients with Stage I cutaneous malignant melanoma followed at the Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson. Two hundred eight patients, or 55%, remained free of metastatic disease after a median follow‐up of 30 months. The survival at 5,8, and 10 years was 69, 65, and 63%, respectively. Natural breakpoints in Breslow thickness for survival occurred at 0.85, 1.95, and 4.00 mm. These are not significantly different from those found by other investigators. A step‐down multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model yielded four factors as highly significant in predicting survival: Breslow thickness (P < 0.001), an age/sex interaction (P = 0.0012), clinical ulceration (P = 0.0039), and a prophylactic node dissection (P = 0.019). No predictive value for a BANS or non‐BANS location was detected. These results are discussed in reference to other large series which describe the natural history of cutaneous melanoma.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1207-1214
Number of pages8
JournalCancer
Volume62
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 15 1988
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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