title: Therapeutic and prognostic considerations of head and neck melanoma.
abstract: Therapeutic considerations are discussed based on recurrence and survival statistics of 900 patients treated at Duke University Medical Center (Durham, NC). Approximately one-third of all patients developed recurrence. Factors affecting recurrence include tumor thickness, presence of positive regional nodes at diagnosis, and advanced Clark level. Patients with more than one adverse index had even higher rates of recurrence than with one alone. The 5-year survival of all patients after recurrence was 32%. Therapeutic decisions should include considerations that relate to patients' recurrence patterns and survival curves.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Seigler
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis