title: Sinonasal mucosal melanomas: the prognostic value of tumor classifications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of the 3 staging systems found in the literature for sinonasal mucosal melanomas tumors: the Ballantyne staging system modified by Prasad (Ballantyne/Prasad staging system), the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM classification for mucosal melanomas (mmTNM), and the 2009 AJCC TNM classification for carcinomas of the nasal cavity and sinuses (carTNM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of 35 patients treated between 1995 and 2010 was conducted for this study. Each patient was retrospectively staged using the Ballantyne/Prasad staging system, mmTNM, and carTNM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 20 women (57.1%) and 15 men (42.9%). Only carTNM was significantly correlated with overall survival (p = .012) and disease-free survival (p = .041). The other 2 classifications were not correlated with survival except for metastatic patients whose overall survival was lower (p = .032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of these findings, we believe that carTNM should be the primary staging system for patients with mucosal melanomas of the sinonasal tract
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, La Timone Universitary Hospital Center, Aix-Marseille University, 264 rue St. Pierre, 13385, Marseille cedex, France.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perret-Court
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fakhry
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Braustein
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monestier
authors.forename: Marie-Aleth
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Grob
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovanni
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dessi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008444:Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000145:classification*; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: TNM; melanoma; sinonasal cancer; staging system; survival