Non-radical primary diagnostic biopsies affect survival in cutaneous head and neck melanoma

• Background: It is unclear if a non-radical diagnostic biopsy entails a higher risk for metastasis and poorer survival for patients with cutaneous head and neck melanoma (cHNM). Aims/objectives: To assess whether or not initial diagnostic biopsy modality and radicality (clear, positive, or narrow histopathological margins) influence recurrence and survival in patients with cHNM. Materials and methods: Histopathological radicality of initial diagnostic biopsies and outcome for 368 consecutive cHNM patients, clinically asymptomatic of metastatic disease and referred to a tertiary care academic center for sentinel lymph node staging from 2004 through 2018, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Patients with positive (n = 133) or narrow (0.1–0.5 mm) (n = 34) histopathological margins had significantly worse loco-regional (p=.004) and distant control (p=.004) as well as lower overall (p=.017) and melanoma specific (p=.0002) survival than 201 patients with clear margins. Multivariate analysis indicated positive or narrow histopathological margins as independent negative prognostic factors for melanoma specific survival (HR 2.16, p=.015), together with deeper Breslow (HR 1.17, p=.00001) and ulceration (HR 2.49, p=.003). Conclusions and significance: Non-radical primary diagnostic biopsies increase the risk for metastatic disease and impair survival in cHNM. Accordingly, radical melanoma diagnostic procedures should be encouraged in the head and neck region when possible.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Cancer och onkologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cancer and Oncology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Cutaneous melanoma

diagnostic biopsy

head and neck

histopathological margins

radicality

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)