Prognostic value of angiogenesis evaluated with high-frequency and colour Doppler sonography for preoperative assessment of primary cutaneous melanomas: correlation with recurrence after a 5 year follow-up period.
OBJECTIVE
To study the value of high-frequency sonography (HFS) and colour Doppler sonography (CDS) in evaluating the 5 year metastatic potential of primary cutaneous melanomas (CM).


METHODS
111 CM were studied before surgical resection and 107 were depicted on HFS. The maximal HFS thickness was measured and compared with the Breslow thickness. A CDS study was performed in each tumour.


RESULTS
HFS thickness ranged from 0.26 to 8.0 mm and Breslow thickness from 0.15 to 8.0 mm. HFS and Breslow thickness correlated strongly (r > 0.93). Intratumour vessels were depicted in 43 of the 107 CM, of which 40 were thicker than 2 mm. The median follow-up was 61 months and 27 patients developed relapses. In the univariate analyses, neovascularization visualized with CDS, sonographic thickness and the Breslow thickness were significantly linked to relapses (p < 0.0001), as were lymph node status and ulceration (p = 0.007 and 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
Vascularization was observed mainly in thick primary melanoma. A median follow-up of 5 years showed the prognostic value of angiogenesis evaluated by CDS.
Lassau
Nathalie
N
Department of Medical Imaging, Institut Gustave Roussy, 39 rue Camille Desmoulins, 94805 Villejuif, France.
Lamuraglia
Michele
M
Koscielny
Serge
S
Spatz
Alain
A
Roche
Alain
A
Leclere
Jerome
J
Avril
Marie-Françoise
MF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color