OBJECTIVE: To study clinical and histological features associated with metastasizing thin melanomas (MTMs). DESIGN: Case-control study of clinicopathological features of patients with MTMs by a panel of 10 dermatopathologists. SETTING: Members of the North American Melanoma Pathology Study Group selected the cases from the melanoma databases at 8 academic institutions. PATIENTS: Forty-three patients with MTMs (<1 mm thick) and 42 control subjects without metastasis matched for age, sex, tumor site, and Breslow thickness. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical (age, sex, site of lesion, stage at diagnosis, metastasis site, disease-free survival, and outcome) and histological (Breslow thickness, Clark level, growth phase, regression, and inflammatory response) features of patients with MTMs vs controls. RESULTS: There was an overrepresentation of axial tumors among patients with MTMs. Extensive regression was present in 18 patients (42%) with MTM vs 2 matched control subjects (5%) (95% confidence interval, 21%-53%; P =.001). Other histological variables were not significantly different. Two patients had melanomas in situ with subsequent metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Thin melanomas with extensive regression represent a group at higher risk for the development of metastasis. Furthermore, the risk of metastasis cannot be dismissed in cases of melanoma in situ.
OBJECTIVE: To study clinical and histological features associated with metastasizing thin melanomas (MTMs). DESIGN: Case-control study of clinicopathological features of patients with MTMs by a panel of 10 dermatopathologists. SETTING: Members of the North American Melanoma Pathology Study Group selected the cases from the melanoma databases at 8 academic institutions. PATIENTS: Forty-three patients with MTMs (<1 mm thick) and 42 control subjects without metastasis matched for age, sex, tumor site, and Breslow thickness. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical (age, sex, site of lesion, stage at diagnosis, metastasis site, disease-free survival, and outcome) and histological (Breslow thickness, Clark level, growth phase, regression, and inflammatory response) features of patients with MTMs vs controls. RESULTS: There was an overrepresentation of axial tumors among patients with MTMs. Extensive regression was present in 18 patients (42%) with MTM vs 2 matched control subjects (5%) (95% confidence interval, 21%-53%; P =.001). Other histological variables were not significantly different. Two patients had melanomas in situ with subsequent metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Thin melanomas with extensive regression represent a group at higher risk for the development of metastasis. Furthermore, the risk of metastasis cannot be dismissed in cases of melanoma in situ.
Authors: Michelle W Ma; Ratna C Medicherla; Meng Qian; Eleazar Vega-Saenz de Miera; Erica B Friedman; Russell S Berman; Richard L Shapiro; Anna C Pavlick; Patrick A Ott; Nina Bhardwaj; Yongzhao Shao; Iman Osman; Farbod Darvishian Journal: Mod Pathol Date: 2012-03-16 Impact factor: 7.842
Authors: Richard L White; Gregory D Ayers; Virginia H Stell; Shouluan Ding; Jeffrey E Gershenwald; Jonathan C Salo; Barbara A Pockaj; Richard Essner; Mark Faries; Kim James Charney; Eli Avisar; Axel Hauschild; Friederike Egberts; Bruce J Averbook; Carlos A Garberoglio; John T Vetto; Merrick I Ross; David Chu; Vijay Trisal; Harald Hoekstra; Eric Whitman; Harold J Wanebo; Daniel Debonis; Michael Vezeridis; Aaron Chevinsky; Mohammed Kashani-Sabet; Yu Shyr; Lynne Berry; Zhiguo Zhao; Seng-Jaw Soong; Stanley P L Leong Journal: Ann Surg Oncol Date: 2011-06-07 Impact factor: 5.344
Authors: Soheil S Dadras; Thomas Paul; Jennifer Bertoncini; Lawrence F Brown; Alona Muzikansky; David G Jackson; Ulf Ellwanger; Claus Garbe; Martin C Mihm; Michael Detmar Journal: Am J Pathol Date: 2003-06 Impact factor: 4.307