Cutaneous Melanoma: Preoperative Tumor Diameter in a General Dermatology Outpatient Setting. Issue 4 (31st January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maley, Alexander; Rhodes, Arthur R.
• Is Part Of: Dermatologic surgery. Volume 40:Issue 4(2014)
• Page Start: 446
• Page End: 454
• Publication Date: 2014-01-31
• Subjects: Skin -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Skin -- Diseases -- Surgery -- Periodicals; 617.477
• DOI: 10.1111/dsu.12454
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-0512

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="dsu12454-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="dsu12454-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>The ABCD mnemonic for cutaneous melanoma indicates that tumor diameter (D) is typically greater than 6 mm.</p> </sec> <sec id="dsu12454-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To determine the distribution of preoperative tumor diameter in a midwestern United States general dermatology practice–based case series.</p> </sec> <sec id="dsu12454-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Patient records were reviewed for preoperative maximal tumor diameter for primary cutaneous melanomas diagnosed between January 1, 2006, and February 1, 2012.</p> </sec> <sec id="dsu12454-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Of 116 tumors for which preoperative measures were available, 38 (32.8%) had a diameter of 6 mm or less. Of these 38 small‐diameter (≤6 mm) cases, tumor invasion occurred in 26 (68.4%), compared with 36 of the 78 (46.2%) larger‐diameter (>6 mm) cases. Small‐diameter tumors were significantly more common in patients younger than 60 and almost twice as common in women than men.</p> </sec> <sec id="dsu12454-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Almost one‐third of evaluable tumors in this general dermatology practice–based setting had a preoperative diameter of 6 mm or less, and two‐thirds of these small‐diameter cases were invasive. The diameter criterion of greater than 6 mm in the ABCD mnemonic is precariously insensitive for a public message.</p> </sec> </abstract>