title: Prediction of sentinel lymph node positivity by growth rate of cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether growth rate (GR) of cutaneous melanoma predicts the histological sentinel lymph node (SLN) positivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two tertiary melanoma referral centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 698 patients with invasive primary cutaneous melanoma in whom the SLN was identified between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on previous studies, a surrogate measure for GR in primary invasive melanoma was calculated as the ratio of Breslow thickness to time to melanoma development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SLN was positive in 20.2% of patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that GR, Breslow thickness, and the presence of microscopic satellitosis were independently associated with SLN positivity. The probability of SLN positivity was 8.2% for slow-growth melanomas (<0.10 mm/mo) compared with 19.8% for intermediate-growth melanomas (0.10-0.50 mm/mo) and 37.7% for fast-growth melanomas (>0.50 mm/mo). Growth rate was not an independent predictive factor for survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Growth rate of primary cutaneous melanoma, together with Breslow thickness and the presence of microscopic satellitosis, predicts the histological SLN positivity.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain. antoniotejera@aedv.es
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tejera-Vaquerizo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagore
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera-Acosta
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martorell-Calatayud
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martín-Cuevas
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Traves
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera-Ceballos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate