Prognostic Factors in Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma in Stage I: A Clinical, Morphological and Multivariate Analysis

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Abstract
In a retrospective study of 324 cutaneous malignant melanomas in stage I, the influence of different morphological and clinical factors on the prognosis was investigated. Patients with melanoma in levels II-V, observed for more than 5 yr, were subjected to a multivariate analysis. About 180/223 patients were in levels III-V. The age of the patient, the location of the tumor, its diameter, thickness, infiltration level, presence of ulceration and mitotic activity were shown to be of significant importance for the 5 yr survival of the 223 patients. Analysis limited to levels III-V disclosed that the diameter and the thickness of the tumor but not the infiltration level significantly influenced the prognosis. The sex of the patient, the histogenetic type of the tumor, the cross-sectional profile, vascular invasion and degree of lymphocytic infiltration did not correlate with survival.