Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in regional cutaneous metastases of extremity melanoma.

In 135 patients with regional cutaneous recurrence of extremity melanoma, the prognostic significance of 12 clinical and pathologic variables was analyzed in four alternative Cox stepwise regression models and by single variable analysis. A highly significant fit of the regression (P less than 0.01) identified four factors that particularly influenced survival: the presence of intradermal or mixed (as opposed to purely subcutaneous) metastases (P less than 0.001), sex (P = 0.032), excision of regional cutaneous metastases with or without perfusion (P = 0.033), and the presence of subcutaneous metastases (P = 0.201). Not predictive of survival were age at diagnosis; site of primary; anatomic location, number, size, or distance from the primary of the regional cutaneous metastases; time since primary treatment; number of positive regional lymph nodes; and single- or triple-drug perfusion.