title: Subungual malignant melanoma: clinicopathological features of 100 cases.
abstract: From the files of the Scottish Melanoma Group, we have identified 100 cases of subungual malignant melanoma (melanoma arising in the nailbed), and this represents 2.8% of the total melanomas registered during the period 1979-1989. Almost equal numbers arose on the foot as on the hand, with the thumb and big toe as the commonest digit affected. More than 80% were greater than 1.5 mm, with the mean Breslow depth 4.7 mm, and 70% were Clark level IV or V. Approximately half of the cases were of acral lentiginous type. At 5-year follow-up (54 cases), 26 have died of melanoma, six have died of an unrelated disease, four are alive with recurrence and 18 are alive and well. Features related to clinical outcome at 3 years were Breslow depth, mitotic count and the presence of vascular invasion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blessing
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kernohan
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012606:Scotland; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015996:Survival Rate