title: The Prognostic Value of Age, Sex, and Subsite in Cutaneous Head and Neck Melanoma: A Clinical Review of Recent Literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous head and neck melanoma is a challenging disease owing to its aggressive nature and often times advanced stage at presentation. Age, sex, and subsite are three prognostic indicators which can be determined prior to treatment or testing, and can allow the practitioner to counsel the patient before initiating therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PubMed search was conducted utilizing various terms relating to the subject matter. Articles over the past 25 years were analyzed and appropriately selected for review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It appears that patients older than 65 have a decreased overall 5 year survival compared to their younger counterparts. Male patients have poorer prognosis compared to female patients as noted by the decreased overall survival, decreased disease specific survival, and shorter time to distant metastasis. Scalp subsite was most uniformly accepted as having the worst prognosis in the head and neck, and may even serve as an independent prognostic indicator.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Advanced age, male sex, and scalp subsite all portend poor prognosis in patients with cutaneous head and neck melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Sameep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadakia
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Facial Plastic Surgery Associates, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Moustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mourad
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Facial Plastic Surgery Associates, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
authors.forename: Yadranko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ducic
keywords: Age; Melanoma; Prognostic Factor; Sex; Sub-Site