title: Tumor volume as a prognostic factor in resectable malignant melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vertical tumor thickness according to Breslow and histological ulceration are still the most powerful predictors for the clinical outcome of resectable cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM) without lymph node infiltration. It has been proposed that tumor volume in MM may also be of prognostic relevance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the prognostic impact of tumor volume and other established risk factors in 122 MM patients with a median follow-up period of 39.7 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found the logarithmic tumor volume to be a better prognostic factor compared to Breslow tumor thickness in multivariate analysis. MM with a tumor volume below a threshold of 140 mm(3) had a significantly higher relapse-free survival after 5 years of 98% compared to 47% in larger MMs (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In some melanomas with a low tumor thickness, a higher tumor volume appeared to be linked to a higher risk of disease recurrence. Inclusion of tumor volume into the risk assessment of resectable MM may be of benefit in the future.
authors: Department of Oncology, Hematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Voss
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Wilop
authors: Stephan
authors: S
authors: Jonas
authors: M H M
authors: MH
authors: El-Komy
authors: Joerg
authors: J
authors: Schaller
authors: Verena
authors: V
authors: von Felbert
authors: Mosaad
authors: M
authors: Megahed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult