title: [Descriptive analysis of cutaneous recurrence patterns in patients with melanoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few studies have addressed cutaneous recurrence of melanoma. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the characteristics and prognostic significance of the different patterns of cutaneous recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients diagnosed with melanoma between 1988 and 2008 at Hospital de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain and for whom data were available for at least 2 years of follow-up were included in the study. Local recurrence was defined as melanoma invasion of the skin adjacent to the scar left by excision of the primary tumor, regional metastasis or recurrence as metastasis restricted to the area drained by a regional lymph node station, and distant cutaneous metastasis as metastasis occurring outside this area. The relationship between cutaneous recurrence pattern and age, sex, primary tumor site, tumor subtype, Breslow depth, and ulceration was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-five out of 1,080 patients (7.87%) had cutaneous recurrence. In 71 of those patients (83.53%; 27 men and 44 women; mean age, 60.68 years), this was the first indication of melanoma recurrence. Thirty-two patients had local recurrence, 32 regional metastasis, and 7 distant metastasis. Significant differences were observed in survival time from diagnosis of the primary tumor (P=.044) and from diagnosis of cutaneous recurrence (P<.001) according to the type of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the pattern of cutaneous recurrence is prognostically significant and related to the site of the primary tumor given that the majority of local and regional recurrences occurred in primary tumors located on the lower limbs and head.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, IDIBELL, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, España. jmarcoval@bellvitgehospital.cat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marcoval
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ferreres
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Penín
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Piulats
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Caminal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabra
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077271:Imiquimod