[Delay in diagnosing melanoma. A prospective study in 102 patients].
BACKGROUND
Knowledge of the causes of melanoma and reasons for diagnosis delay is essential for early management.


METHODS
One hundred two patients consulting for melanoma at the Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1995 were asked to respond to a standardized questionnaire. Time to diagnosis and the different time fractions were analyzed by socio-demographic characteristics and by pathology features.


RESULTS
Meantime from the first signs of a new lesion or modification of an old lesion to exeresis of melanoma was 20.4 months. Most of the delay prior to diagnosis was patient-related; lack of knowledge about the early clinical signs of melanoma appeared to be the most important cause of delay. Time to diagnosis was not significantly correlated to the thickness of the melanoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results are compared with two similar series reported in other countries during the last ten years. The lack of correlation between the thickness of the melanoma and time to diagnosis appears to be explained, at least in part, by the biological variability of melanomas.
Baccard
M
M
Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris.
Chevret
S
S
Chemaly
P
P
Morel
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors