Melanoma prognostic factors found in the dermatopathology report

Clin Dermatol. 2009 Jan-Feb;27(1):53-74. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2008.09.006.

Abstract

Significant prognostic information is available in a routine melanoma dermatopathology report. Features that are enumerated in the pathology report and that portend a potentially poorer prognosis are older age, site (acral, head, neck), male sex, increasing Breslow tumor thickness, increasing Clark's level, ulceration, increasing number of mitoses, vertical growth phase, regression, absence of a host inflammatory response, increased tumor vascularity, angiotropism, vascular invasion, neurotropism, marked atypia, and satellite metastasis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Male
  • Melanoma / blood supply
  • Melanoma / classification
  • Melanoma / immunology
  • Melanoma / pathology*
  • Melanoma / secondary
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous
  • Prognosis
  • Skin Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Skin Neoplasms / classification
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*