Acral cutaneous melanoma in a Spanish Caucasian population.

Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) is the most frequent type of cutaneous melanoma in the Asian and African populations, but the fourth distinct variant of cutaneous melanoma in the Caucasian population. Histological criteria and prognosis of ALM remain controversial. A retrospective study, showing epidemiological, clinical, histological and survival characteristics of melanomas located on acral sites (acral cutaneous melanoma) compared with nonacral melanomas. Fifty-two of 552 melanomas (9.42%) were located on acral sites. Histological examination revealed ALMs in 30 cases (61%), nodular melanomas in seven cases (14.3%) and superficial spreading melanomas in five cases (10.2%). Patients with ulcerated melanomas had an older mean age (62.3 vs. 57.2 years) (P=0.02). Tumour thickness was greater in acral melanomas (2.8 vs. 1.9 mm) (P=0.039). Overall survival and disease-free survival did not differ significantly from melanomas on other sites. Acral cutaneous melanoma has peculiar epidemiological features in the Spanish population. They are more frequent in patients above 65 years of age and they have a greater tumour thickness, but they are not significantly associated with a lower survival.