Naslov
Multiple primary melanoma : epidemiological and prognostic implications ; analysis of 36 cases

Autori
Buljan, Marija ; Šitum, Mirna ; Bolanča, Željana ; Vurnek Živković, Maja ; Lugović, Liborija

Izvornik
Collegium antropologicum (0350-6134) 34 (2010), S2; 131-134

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
melanoma ; multiple primary melanoma ; follow up ; patient education

Sažetak
Patients who are already diagnosed with cutaneous melanoma are at increased risk of developing another primary melanoma. The occurrence of multiple primary melanoma is a rare phenomenon, varying in frequency, with an estimated incidence ranging from 0.2% to 8.6%. The authors are presenting data on the patients with multiple primary melanoma from the Croatian Referral Melanoma Centre. The clinical, histological and epidemiological characteristics of 36 (3.6%) patients, identified from 991 patients with histologically confirmed melanoma, are analyzed in this study. Twenty-eight of the patients (78%) had two primary melanomas, six had three melanomas (16.7%) and two (5, 6%) had four melanomas. Diagnosis was established synchronously in 11 patients (30%) and, in the rest of the patients, time interval between the diagnosis of the first and second melanoma varied from 1 month to the longest interval of 16 years. However, the majority of subsequent melanomas were removed within 2 years of the initial operation. The mean Breslow's thickness of the first melanoma was significantly higher than the mean Breslow's thickness of the second primary melanoma. The proportion of in situ to invasive melanomas was greater for the second melanomas compared with the first melanomas. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of regular follow-up as well as the education in regular self--skin examinations in melanoma patients in order to detect subsequent primary melanomas in the early phase.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

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