title: [Clinical and histopathological characteristics of malignant melanoma cases seen at "Dr. Manuel Gea González" General Hospital].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanoma is a type of tumor that arises from melanocytes generally located in the dermoepidermal junction. Although melanoma is found in less than 10% of cases, mortality is high representing 75% of deaths attributed to cutaneous cancer. There are four major subtypes: Superficial spreading melanoma, lentigo malignant melanoma, acral lentiginous melanoma and nodular melanoma. Superficial spreading melanoma is the most common type among Caucasians. In a Mexican case series, the nodular type is the most common type reported. The aim of this study was to determine the most common type seen at our medical facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed patient's medical records from March 1981 to December 2006. Demographic data included sex, age, place of residence, occupation, tumor progression, location and clinical description. Histologically we evaluated tumor thickness using the Breslow scale; invasion was measured using the Clark scale. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  165 patients were studied, 112 were females and 53 males. The most common location was the lower limb. Acral lentiginous melanoma was the most common subtype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings differ from the other series where they report nodular and superficial spreading melanoma as the most common types. The most common subtypes in our study were acral lentiginous melanoma and lentigo malignant melanoma among females, with a ratio of female-male of 2.1:1.
authors: Departamento de Dermatologla, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Secretaría de Salud, México D.F., México. magica_karam@yahoo.com
authors: Marcia
authors: M
authors: Káram-Orantes
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Toussaint-Caire
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Domínguez-Cherit
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Veja-Memije
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*