title: Assessment of survival rates with metastatic malignant melanomas.
abstract: Ten patients who survived for at least five years after the development of metastatic melanoma were compared with 45 other patients who died of disseminated disease. The difference between the groups was the persistent absence of internal organ involvement in the first group and its invariable presence in the latter group. In addition, it appeared that several of the primary tumors from the nonlethal group were thinner, located in a more favorable location and occurred with greater frequency in women. All of these features tend to be indicative of a lesser degree of biologic aggressiveness of these tumors. They may prove helpful in identifying those patients with metastatic disease who are potential long term survivors and, therefore, require continued aggressive treatment.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D003606:Dacarbazine