Impact of clinicopathological features on prognosis of thin melanomas: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Abstract

Using a large multi-institutional cohort of patients with thin melanomas, our study identified that while predictive of improved prognosis in later stage disease, the presence of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes is associated with poorer outcomes in patients with thin melanomas. Increasing mitotic rate, Charlson Comorbidity Index, absence of radial growth phase and self-pay/no insurance are also significantly associated with poorer outcomes, while tumour thickness, historically one of the most important prognostic features, is not independently associated with recurrence or mortality. This study elucidates novel risk factors that could prognosticate recurrence or mortality among thin melanomas and can be used to enable more personalized surveillance and therapeutic strategies.