Influence of anatomic location on prognosis of malignant melanoma: attempt to verify the BANS model.

Stage I cutaneous malignant melanomas between 0.76 and 1.69 mm thick (Breslow measurement) in BANS (upper part of the back, posterior aspects of the arms, posterior and lateral aspects of the neck, posterior aspect of the scalp) areas have been reported to portend a relatively poor prognosis compared to non-BANS sites. We were unable to confirm the 15% poorer survival for BANS area lesions (84% BANS, 99% non-BANS) originally reported. In this report of 211 patients, malignant melanomas in BANS sites had a 4.6% poorer 5-year cumulative survival rate (88.9% BANS, 93.5% non-BANS; p = 0.35). Although many more patients need to be studied, we believe this small difference in survival is insufficient to influence therapeutic management strategies.