Impact of the 2009 (7th Edition) AJCC Melanoma Staging System in the Classification of Thin Cutaneous Melanomas

Overview

Journal Biomed Res Int

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
General Medicine

Date 2013 Dec 26

PMID 24369020

Citations 7

Authors

Vicki H Chu

Michael T Tetzlaff

Carlos A Torres-Cabala

Victor G Prieto

Roland Bassett Jr

Jeffrey E Gershenwald

Michael S McLemore

Doina Ivan

Wei-Lien Billy Wang

Merrick I Ross

Jonathan L Curry

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Context: The 7th (2009) edition of the AJCC melanoma staging system incorporates tumor (Breslow) thickness, MR, and ulceration in stratifying T1 primary melanomas. Compared to the prior 6th (2001) edition, MR has replaced CL for thin melanomas.

Objective: We sought to identify and report differences of the classification of thin melanomas as well as outcome of SLNB in patients according to the 6th and 7th editions at our institution.

Results: 106 patients were identified with thin melanomas verified by wide excision. 31 of 106 thin melanomas were reclassified according to the 7th edition of the AJCC. Of those 31, 15 CL II/III patients (6th edition T1a) were reclassified as T1b based on the presence of mitoses while 16 CL IV patients (6th edition T1b) were categorized as T1a based on the absence of mitoses. 26/31 reclassified patients underwent SLNB, and all were negative. Patients with thin melanoma and a +SLNB (N = 3) were all classified as T1b according to both staging systems.

Conclusions: In our experience, 29% of thin melanomas were reclassified according to the 7th edition with similar proportions of patients re-distributed as T1a (14%) and T1b (15%). Cases with +SLN corresponded with T1b lesions in both 6th and 7th editions.

Citing Articles

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Predictive Values of Pathological and Clinical Risk Factors for Positivity of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Thin Melanoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

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Akiyama M, Matsuda Y, Arai T, Saeki H Oncol Lett. 2018; 16(2):2675-2681.

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Mitotic rate is associated with positive lymph nodes in patients with thin melanomas.

Wheless L, Isom C, Hooks M, Kauffmann R J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017; 78(5):935-941.

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Long-term Survival of Patients With Invasive Ultra-thin Cutaneous Melanoma: A Single-center Retrospective Analysis.

Vecchiato A, Zonta E, Campana L, Dal Bello G, Rastrelli M, Rossi C Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95(2):e2452.

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