The significance of augmented radiocolloid uptake by the spleen in patients with malignant melanoma.
Increase in splenic uptake of Tc-99m sulfur colloid was noted in 47 of 147 (32%) patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma early in the coure of disease. Patients with disseminated disease and/or clinical or laboratory evidence of hapatic dysfunction were excluded from study. Recurrence rate of 2 yr was higher for those patients with splenic scans demonstrating augmented uptake compared with patients having normal scans, 36% against 16% (p less than 0.02). These differences resulted from a much more favorable prognosis in women with normal scans contrasted with women with increased uptake, 6% against 26% (p less than 0.05). Women with increased splenic uptake, and all men regardless of scan status, seemed to have a higher rate of recurrence than women with normal spleen scans. Scan status may be an adjunctive prognostic marker in women.
D003102:Colloids; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*; D013667:Technetium / Q000378:metabolism*
D003102:Colloids; D013455:Sulfur; D013667:Technetium