title: Outcome of patients with de novo versus nevus-associated melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prior reports indicate a wide range of melanomas in histopathologic contiguity with a nevus, and an associated nevus has unclear prognostic implications in melanoma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to investigate the relationship among nevus-associated melanomas, sentinel lymph node status, and overall survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective analysis of 850 patients with cutaneous melanoma and sentinel lymph node removed at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1998 through 2008 and meta-analysis of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nevus-associated melanomas represented 28% (235/850) of cases and were significantly correlated with younger age (P = .03), truncal site (P = .0005), superficial spreading type (P < .0001), and absent ulceration (P = .005). There was no association with sentinel lymph node status (P = .94) and no survival difference between nevus-associated versus de novo melanoma (P = .41). Meta-analysis of over 4000 cases revealed a similar percentage of associated nevi (32%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was a retrospective study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately 30% of melanomas are associated with a nevus. The presence of a nevus associated with a melanoma has no prognostic implication in sentinel lymph node status or overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Alona
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muzikansky
authors.affiliation: Pathology Service and Dermatopathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Alice Z C
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Kenneth K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sober
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: A Benedict
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Cosimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Hensin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: Pathology Service and Dermatopathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: duncan@helix.mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Lyn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009506:Nevus / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dysplastic nevus; melanoma; nevus; overall survival; precursor; sentinel lymph node biopsy