Regression in melanoma is significantly associated with a lower regional recurrence rate and better recurrence-free survival. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prognostic significance of regression in predicting melanoma recurrences is unknown. We present a large multicenter study correlating regression with recurrence. METHODS: The Sentinel Lymph Node Working Group database was queried from 1993 to 2018 for cases with regression data. Clinicopathologic factors were correlated with overall and first-site of recurrence and with recurrence-free survival (RFS). RESULTS: There were 4790 patients and the median follow-up was 39.6 months. Regression and recurrences were seen in 1081 (22.6%) and 773 (16.1%) cases, respectively. First-site locoregional and distant recurrences were seen in 412 (8.6%) and 352 (7.3%) patients, respectively. Regression was seen in 15.8% and 24.7% of all cases with and without recurrences (p<0.0001), respectively, while regression was seen in 14.3% and 17.9% of first-site locoregional and distant recurrent cases, respectively, compared with 23.3% and 22.9% of patients with regression and without first-site locoregional and distant recurrences, respectively (p=0.29). On multivariable analysis, after controlling for age, gender, thickness, ulceration, lymphovascular invasion, and sentinel lymph node status, regression significantly predicted improved RFS (p=0.004) and fewer first-site regional recurrences (p=0.017). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that regression is a favorable prognostic marker in melanoma and predicts significantly better RFS and decreased first-site regional recurrences.

published proceedings

  • J Surg Oncol

altmetric score

  • 1.25

author list (cited authors)

  • Subramanian, S., Han, G., Olson, N., Leong, S. P., Kashani-Sabet, M., White, R. L., ... Han, D.

citation count

  • 0

complete list of authors

  • Subramanian, Sarayu||Han, Gang||Olson, Natalie||Leong, Stanley P||Kashani-Sabet, Mohammed||White, Richard L||Zager, Jonathan S||Sondak, Vernon K||Messina, Jane L||Pockaj, Barbara||Kosiorek, Heidi E||Vetto, John||Fowler, Graham||Schneebaum, Schlomo||Han, Dale

publication date

  • February 2022

publisher