Per Helsing1, Trude Eid Robsahm2, Linda Vos2, Syed Mohammad Husain Rizvi3, Lars Andreas Akslen4, Marit Bragelien Veierød5. 1. Department of Dermatology, Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: phelsing@ous-hf.no. 2. Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway. 3. Department of Dermatology, Oslo University Hospital-Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. 4. Center for Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Clinical Medicine, Section for Pathology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 5. Oslo Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Most studies of cutaneous head and neck melanomas (CHNM) have reported poorer survival in CHNM compared with other sites, especially on the scalp/neck. OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare patient and tumor characteristics between CHNM and cutaneous trunk and extremity melanomas and between CHNM locations (face/ear vs scalp/neck, anterior vs posterior), and to study prognostic factors in patients with CHNM. METHODS: We studied all CHNM (n = 1074) from 8120 cases of cutaneous melanomas diagnosed in Norway in 2008 to 2012. RESULTS: Compared with cutaneous trunk and extremity melanomas, CHNM were more frequently found in men, more often nodular and lentigo maligna cutaneous melanomas, and diagnosed at higher T stage (P ≤ .01). CHNM located on posterior sites were diagnosed at significantly higher T stage, and were significantly more often diagnosed with ulceration and at more advanced stage compared with CHNM located on anterior sites (P < .001). T stage and clinical stage were the only significant prognostic factors for melanoma-specific and overall death in the multivariable analysis (P < .001). LIMITATIONS: Low number of cases and the relatively high frequency of missing values are limitations. CONCLUSION: More advanced CHNM were diagnosed on posterior compared with anterior locations, but location was not a significant prognostic factor for cutaneous melanoma-specific or overall death in the multivariable models.
BACKGROUND: Most studies of cutaneous head and neck melanomas (CHNM) have reported poorer survival in CHNM compared with other sites, especially on the scalp/neck. OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare patient and tumor characteristics between CHNM and cutaneous trunk and extremity melanomas and between CHNM locations (face/ear vs scalp/neck, anterior vs posterior), and to study prognostic factors in patients with CHNM. METHODS: We studied all CHNM (n = 1074) from 8120 cases of cutaneous melanomas diagnosed in Norway in 2008 to 2012. RESULTS: Compared with cutaneous trunk and extremity melanomas, CHNM were more frequently found in men, more often nodular and lentigo maligna cutaneous melanomas, and diagnosed at higher T stage (P ≤ .01). CHNM located on posterior sites were diagnosed at significantly higher T stage, and were significantly more often diagnosed with ulceration and at more advanced stage compared with CHNM located on anterior sites (P < .001). T stage and clinical stage were the only significant prognostic factors for melanoma-specific and overall death in the multivariable analysis (P < .001). LIMITATIONS: Low number of cases and the relatively high frequency of missing values are limitations. CONCLUSION: More advanced CHNM were diagnosed on posterior compared with anterior locations, but location was not a significant prognostic factor for cutaneous melanoma-specific or overall death in the multivariable models.
Authors: Heather S Feigelson; John D Powers; Mayanka Kumar; Nikki M Carroll; Arun Pathy; Debra P Ritzwoller Journal: Cancer Med Date: 2019-06-19 Impact factor: 4.452
Authors: Renee P Wood; Jane S Heyworth; Nina S McCarthy; Audrey Mauguen; Marianne Berwick; Nancy E Thomas; Michael J Millward; Hoda Anton-Culver; Anne E Cust; Terence Dwyer; Richard P Gallagher; Stephen B Gruber; Peter A Kanetsky; Irene Orlow; Stefano Rosso; Eric K Moses; Colin B Begg; Sarah V Ward Journal: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Date: 2020-08-20 Impact factor: 4.254