Cell kinetics: an independent prognostic variable in stage II melanoma of the skin.
The prognostic role of cell kinetics (expressed as 3H-thymidine labelling index, 3H-TdR LI) was assessed on 145 patients with pathologic stage II melanoma subjected only to therapeutic lymph node dissection. The 3H-TdR LI determined on metastatic nodes was related to relapse-free survival and to survival. In particular, 3-year relapse-free survival was significantly different from patients with slowly and rapidly proliferating melanomas (40% vs 22%, P = 0.007), and this finding was consistently found for overall survival (68% vs 46%, P = 0.007). Moreover, in patients with high 3H-TdR LI tumours, the risk of relapse and death within the first year from lymphadenectomy was two-fold that of patients with low 3H-TdR LI tumours. Multiple regression analysis showed that 3H-TdR LI retained its prognostic significance on relapse-free and on overall survival even when the number of involved nodes and type of nodal metastases were considered. Present findings suggest that 3H-TdR LI can contribute to select high-risk stage II melanoma patients.
Costa
A
A
Oncologia Sperimentale C, Instituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
Silvestrini
R
R
Mezzanotte
G
G
Vaglini
M
M
Grignolio
E
E
Clemente
C
C
Cascinelli
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
D013936:Thymidine