title: Influence of level and depth on recurrence rate in thin melanomas.
abstract: A population-based study of the biology of the thin-level melanoma according to site, Breslow's thickness, and Clark's level was undertaken. Two hundred fifteen patients were studied with a mean follow-up of 41 months. Overall, 23 patients (10.7%) had recurrences, 8 locally, 9 regionally, and 6 systemically, despite an adequate local excision. A multivariate analysis was done. In the patients with thin lesions (less than 1 mm), increasing level (p < 0.002) and head and neck site (p < 0.04) increased the risk of recurrence. Increasing thickness of melanoma up to 1 mm did not influence the risk. This study identifies a group of high-risk melanoma patients for whom adjuvant therapy to decrease recurrences should be studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pontikes
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Temple
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Cassar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lafrenière
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Huchcroft
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Jerry
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Marx
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*