The Danish Melanoma Database.
The aim of the database is to monitor and improve the treatment and survival of melanoma patients.


METHODS
All Danish patients with cutaneous melanoma and in situ melanomas must be registered in the Danish Melanoma Database (DMD). In 2014, 2,525 patients with invasive melanoma and 780 with in situ tumors were registered. The coverage is currently 93% compared with the Danish Pathology Register.


METHODS
The main variables include demographic, clinical, and pathological characteristics, including Breslow's tumor thickness, ± ulceration, mitoses, and tumor-node-metastasis stage. Information about the date of diagnosis, treatment, type of surgery, including safety margins, results of lymphoscintigraphy in patients for whom this was indicated (tumors > T1a), results of sentinel node biopsy, pathological evaluation hereof, and follow-up information, including recurrence, nature, and treatment hereof is registered. In case of death, the cause and date are included. Currently, all data are entered manually; however, data catchment from the existing registries is planned to be included shortly.
The DMD is an old research database, but new as a clinical quality register. The coverage is high, and the performance in the five Danish regions is quite similar due to strong adherence to guidelines provided by the Danish Melanoma Group. The list of monitored indicators is constantly expanding, and annual quality reports are issued. Several important scientific studies are based on DMD data.


CONCLUSIONS
DMD holds unique detailed information about tumor characteristics, the surgical treatment, and follow-up of Danish melanoma patients. Registration and monitoring is currently expanding to encompass even more clinical parameters to benefit both patient treatment and research.
Department of Plastic Surgery.
Lisbet Rosenkrantz
LR
Hölmich
Department of Pathology, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev.
Siri
S
Klausen
Institute of Pathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus.
Eva
E
Spaun
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Breast Surgery and Burns, Rigshospitalet - Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Grethe
G
Schmidt
Department of Plastic Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense.
Dorte
D
Gad
Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Hematology; Department of Oncology, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev.
Inge Marie
IM
Svane
Department of Oncology.
Henrik
H
Schmidt
Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus.
Henrik Frank
HF
Lorentzen
Registry Support Centre (East) - Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup - Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark.
Else Helene
EH
Ibfelt
Denmark; clinical database; malignant melanoma; melanoma; melanoma registry; quality database