Diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of early melanoma. The importance of depth of microinvasion

Vulvar and Vaginal Melanomas-The Darker Shades of Gynecological Cancers

Melanomas of the skin are poorly circumscribed lesions, very frequently asymptomatic but unfortunately with a continuous growing incidence. In this landscape, one can distinguish melanomas originating in the mucous membranes and located in areas not exposed to the sun, namely the vulvo-vaginal melanomas. By contrast with cutaneous melanomas, the incidence of these types of melanomas is constant, being diagnosed in females in their late sixties. While hairy skin and glabrous skin melanomas of the vulva account for 5% of all cancers located in the vulva, melanomas of the vagina and urethra are particularly rare conditions. The location in areas less accessible to periodic inspection determines their diagnosis in advanced stages, often metastatic. Moreover, despite the large number of drugs newly approved in recent decades for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, especially in the category of biological drugs, the mortality of vulvo-vaginal melanomas has remained almost constant. This, together with the absence of specific treatment guidelines due to the lack of a sufficient number of cases to conduct randomized clinical trials, makes melanomas with this localization a discouraging diagnosis, associated with a very poor prognosis. Our aim is therefore to draw attention to this oftentimes overlooked entity in order to encourage the community to employ various strategies meant to increase research in this area. By highlighting the main risk factors of vulvar and vaginal melanomas, as well as the clinical manifestations and molecular changes underlying these neoplasms, ideally novel therapeutic schemes will, in time, be brought into effect.

Dispelling myths concerning pigmented skin lesions

The history of medicine is replete with examples of debunked myths, and in daily clinical dermatological practice, we must still counter many misconceptions regarding pigmented lesions, both with patients and other medical practitioners. Debunking myths and attempting to explain the reasons for these erroneous beliefs are the purposes of this review. The literature review has been partially guided by the results obtained from an online questionnaire conducted on an Italian website (www.vediamocichiara.it) from February 15, 2015 to March 15, 2015. The remaining discussed were selected on the basis of the existing literature and our personal experience. In order to explore these misconceptions, the following are the seven most salient questions that require investigation: (i) Is it dangerous to excise moles?; (ii) Is it dangerous to traumatize moles?; (iii) Are plantar moles worrisome?; (iv) Is it necessary to selectively apply sunscreen to moles?; (v) Is it inadvisable to partially biopsy a melanoma?; (vi) Do moles turn into melanoma?; and (vii) Is it necessary to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy for thin melanomas and for atypical Spitz naevi? Myths are ubiquitous, being prevalent in dermatological practice, with many of them concerning pigmented skin lesions. By encouraging critical analysis by patients and medical practitioners, the birth and perpetuation of myths can potentially be minimized, for the ultimate benefit of patients. This requires a scientific approach to be rigorously applied to dermatology, with critical questioning of unsubstantiated hypotheses including those emanating from the mass media as well as from respected sources.

"The malignant wart": a review of primary nodular melanoma of the foot and report of two cases

The reported incidence of melanoma is rapidly rising and second only to lung cancer. Primary melanoma of the lower extremity accounts for approximately 30% of all cases reported, with half of these cases localized to the foot itself. Unfortunately, melanoma can be misdiagnosed and treatment delayed, as they are usually not painful. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates improve with early diagnosis and aggressive treatment. This is a report of 2 cases of primary nodular melanoma of the foot initially misdiagnosed as a "wart." Following confirmation with biopsy, definitive surgical intervention in both cases consisted of resection of the primary malignancy and ipsilateral superficial inguinal lymph node basin resection using a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. Given the rapid increase in incidence of melanoma in the general population, one must have a high index of suspicion and low threshold for excisional biopsy of concerning dermatopathology on the foot and lower extremity. Early detection and combined appropriate surgical resection and adjunctive chemotherapeutic treatment of melanoma in a multidisciplinary setting are paramount in decreasing mortality rates.

Influence of level and depth on recurrence rate in thin melanomas

A population-based study of the biology of the thin-level melanoma according to site, Breslow's thickness, and Clark's level was undertaken. Two hundred fifteen patients were studied with a mean follow-up of 41 months. Overall, 23 patients (10.7%) had recurrences, 8 locally, 9 regionally, and 6 systemically, despite an adequate local excision. A multivariate analysis was done. In the patients with thin lesions (less than 1 mm), increasing level (p < 0.002) and head and neck site (p < 0.04) increased the risk of recurrence. Increasing thickness of melanoma up to 1 mm did not influence the risk. This study identifies a group of high-risk melanoma patients for whom adjuvant therapy to decrease recurrences should be studied.

Conservative therapy for melanoma of the vulva

Recent cooperative studies have demonstrated that less radical local resection of cutaneous melanomas is equally effective as a traditional radical approach. A retrospective review of vulvar melanoma was undertaken to determine if mode of therapy affected recurrence. Survival correlated independently with depth of invasion and age (p = 0.05 and p less than 0.02, respectively). In the comparison of radical vulvectomy with local excision, no patient differences in age or histopathologic variables were determined (nodal disease status, histology, mitotic count, lymphocytic infiltration, or ulceration). Radical vulvectomy did not improve survival over local therapy (p greater than 0.2). Six of eight patients whose melanoma had less than 2 mm of invasion treated with local therapy are disease free after a median of 127 months (range 6 to 300 months). For local excision, recurrences were more frequent when margins were less than 2 cm, but this was not statistically significant in this small sample. Although the current series is small and retrospective, its findings suggest that treatment recommendations of large cutaneous nonvulvar melanoma studies are applicable to vulvar melanoma. A prospective randomized study of radical versus conservative surgery for vulvar melanoma will be necessary to confirm these treatment recommendations.

Does wide excision as the initial diagnostic procedure improve prognosis in patients with cutaneous melanoma?

502 patients with clinical stage I cutaneous melanoma were reviewed to determine if performing a wide excision (4-5 cm) at the time when the diagnosis of melanoma is suspected, improves the survival. Patients were divided into two groups based on initial biopsy type and thickness category. Group 1, wide excision; group 2, total excision with narrow margins, incisional, or punch biopsies. There was no evidence that patients who had had a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure (wide excision) as the initial approach had a better survival than those who had had another form of biopsy before definitive surgery. We cannot recommend excision with wide margins as the initial biopsy procedure for a lesion suspected to be melanoma before histologic verification, since it does not increase survival for melanoma and may result in unnecessary aggressive surgery in the case of a misdiagnosed benign lesion.

The clinical recognition and prognostic factors of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma

The incidence of melanoma continues to increase. In the absence of a defined and preventable etiology, early recognition and proper management offer the best hope for prolonged survival and cure. Clinically suspect lesions must be biopsied for diagnostic confirmation and histologic information. Reliable prognostic information can be gained from histologic and clinical parameters, which are described.

Therapy of primary cutaneous melanoma

The essential tenets of early recognition, biopsy, and appropriate surgical treatment of melanoma are reviewed. The controversies of elective regional lymph node dissection and isolated limb perfusion are discussed, as well as the newer modalities of immunotherapy.

Does biopsy type influence survival in clinical stage I cutaneous melanoma?

A total of 472 patients with clinical Stage I cutaneous melanoma were analyzed to determine influence of type of diagnostic biopsy on survival. Of these patients, 119 had had an incisional biopsy (either punch or incision) and 353 had an excisional biopsy. Patients were grouped by thickness category and outcome compared between the biopsy types. Within each thickness category, there is no statistically significant difference in survival between the two groups. The observation that none of the seventy-six patients with primary tumors less than 1.70 mm have died following incisional biopsy strongly argues against any deleterious effect of incisional biopsy in this group. Alternatively, if the two highest-risk groups (greater than or equal to 1.70 mm) are analyzed as a single group, an adverse effect is seen in the incisional biopsy group (p less than 0.05). However, when the data from these groups are subjected to multivariate analysis, biopsy type is not a significant factor in the model. This study shows that either biopsy method may be used in first evaluating patients with suspected melanoma.

Hyperthermic regional perfusion in high-risk stage-I malignant melanomas of the extremities

Local recurrence after conventional surgical treatment of malignant melanomas of the extremities has frequently been observed in our department in the past. As at other centers, this sometimes necessitated amputation, and on a few occasions amputations were performed exclusively for palliative reasons. In an effort to improve this situation, regional perfusion as local regional treatment was added to conventional therapy in 1965. We have since observed no further instances of massive local tumor growth, and since that time no amputations have had to be performed for this reason. Of course this complicated therapy caused new problems, particularly in the early years, but we have learned to reduce these to what we believe to be an acceptable minimum. In the last 2 years we have done nearly 100 perfusions and have had no major complications. A comparison of the results of regional perfusion plus local excision in the treatment of stage-I melanoma with those of other reported series (Cascinelli et al. 1978; Elder et al. 1979; Fortner et al. 1977; Goldsmith et al. 1970; Lee 1979; McCarthy et al. 1974; Veronesi et al. 1977; Wanebo et al. 1975) treated only by local excision is difficult, owing to the complexity of the known variables relating to survival and local recurrence. The 5-16 year determinate survival rate for our perfusion patients was 74%. The local recurrence rate in the perfused extremities was 9%, 14 patients, and nine of these 14 had distant metastases as well. The other five patients still show no evidence of disease after retreatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Local recurrence and survival in patients with (Clark Level IV/V and over 1.5-mm thickness) stage I malignant melanoma of the extremities after regional perfusion

During the period 1965-1974, 110 patients with stage I malignant melanoma of the extremities were treated by regional isolated perfusion with L-phenylalanine mustard and local excision. In order to study local recurrence and survival, only patients with a primary melanoma Clark Level IV or V and a tumor thickness of more than 1.5 mm were accepted in this study. The determinate survival in patients followed for 5-14 years in 78%; 17% developed positive regional lymph nodes. The local skin recurrence rate was 9% (9 patients); four of these 9 patients simultaneously had distant metastases; the other five patients are alive with NED after retreatment. This series of patients, too, shows that tumor thickness determines the prognosis, both as to local recurrence and as to survival. The mean tumor thickness in the hyperthermically perfused patients was found to clearly exceed that in the normothermically perfused, the mean values being 4.85 mm and 3.87 mm, respectively. Yet local recurrence and regional lymph node metastases proved to be less frequent after hyperthermic than after normothermic perfusion, although the difference was not statistically significant.

The surgical management of anorectal malignant melanoma

The biological vagaries of anal malignant melanoma are illustrated by four cases in Chinese patients. All four died within five years. Their poor prognosis emphasizes the value of preoperative studies to detect clinically occult metastases and obviate futile radical surgery. Many patients already have disseminated disease at the time of diagnosis, and local excision of the tumour provides acceptable palliation. For localized disease, abdominoperineal resection prevents local recurrence and removes the mesenteric nodes which are frequently involved. Palpable inguinal nodes necessitate therapeutic groin dissection, but we perform elective resection only when affected nodes are found at laparotomy. Pelvic lymphadenectomy should be performed in conjunction with abdominoperineal resection. The efficacy of chemotherapy for anorectal melanoma remains uncertain.