Malignant melanoma patients with positive nodes and relatively good prognoses: Microstaging retains prognostic significance in clinical stage I melanoma patients with metastases to regional nodes

摘要: Fifteen variables were tested for their value in predicting recurrent disease 46 clinical Stage I melanoma patients with metastases to regional nodes. A stepwise proportional hazards general linear model (Cox multivariate analysis) separated these node into at least two risk groups. Twenty the relatively low-risk group had a five-year disease-free survival of 80% (in spite having nodal metastases). This compares 17.5% 26 high-risk (P less than 0.001, Lee-Desu Statistic). Criteria required that patient have only one following values: (1) The number lymph nodes contained tumor divided by total removed x 100% (percentage positive nodes) greater or equal 20%; (2) primary thickness 3.5 mm (regardless percentage). Conversely, neither above features. could further be stratified lymphocytic response base tumor. These findings direct immediate application elective dissection controversy and adjuvant therapy studies containing patients.