To evaluate clinical and pathologic factors associated with recurrence in localized melanoma.
Key Findings:
16% of patients experienced recurrence over a median follow-up of 7 years, with a median time to recurrence of 2 years.
Recurrence rates increased from 4% in stage IA to 37% in stage IIB and 36% in stage IIC.
Distant recurrence was the most common, accounting for 48% of cases.
Ulceration and increasing tumor thickness were significantly associated with recurrence.
Tumor location on the scalp or neck and face was linked to higher recurrence rates.
Interpretation:
Several clinicopathologic variables are associated with time to melanoma recurrence, suggesting that their inclusion could enhance surveillance strategies and improve patient outcomes.
Limitations:
Missing data for some pathologic variables may affect the robustness of findings.
Single-center design may limit generalizability of results.
Possibility of recurrences being captured outside the institution could lead to underreporting.
Conclusion:
Incorporating additional pathologic features could improve recurrence prediction and guide surveillance for melanoma patients, ultimately enhancing patient care.
