Serum calcium, albumin and tumor stage in cutaneous malignant melanoma.
OBJECTIVE
Assess the relationship of serum calcium and serum albumin to tumor stage and other clinical characteristics in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM).


METHODS
A cross-sectional study to evaluate serum calcium as a marker of disease progression (n = 644) in MM.


RESULTS
Serum albumin was significantly lower among men (p < 0.01) and among patients with stage 4 disease (p < 0.05). In a multivariable regression model adjusted for age, gender and site, albumin-corrected calcium was positively associated with disease stage (odds ratio: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.02-2.07; p = 0.04). The odds of higher stage increased 60% for each 1.0 mg/dl increase in albumin-corrected calcium.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher albumin-corrected serum calcium may be a marker of disease progression in MM.
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
Mridul
M
Datta
Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Paul
P
Savage
Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
James
J
Lovato
University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, 501 N Columbia Rd Stop 9037, Grand Forks, ND 25202-9037, USA.
Gary G
GG
Schwartz
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012709:Serum Albumin; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
D015415:Biomarkers; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002118:Calcium
albumin; albumin-corrected calcium; malignant melanoma; serum calcium