Long-term survival across Breslow thickness categories: findings from a population-based study of 210 042 Australian melanoma patients.
Abstract The prognosis of a patient with a primary cutaneous melanoma is known to be related to the Breslow thickness of their tumor. This study sought to determine long-term (30-year) survival rates for the 4 American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition T categories by analyzing Australian registry data for 210 042 melanoma patients diagnosed from 1982 to 2014. The 30-year incidence rates of death due to melanoma and nonmelanoma (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were 7.1% (95% CI = 6.9% to 7.3%) and 32.8% (95% CI = 32.3% to 33.3%), respectively. For T2 melanomas, the corresponding rates were [...]
Neoadjuvant or perioperative therapy for melanoma metastasis in clinical practice: an international survey.
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Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of amelanotic/hypopigmented primary cutaneous melanoma
Abstract Background: Approximately 2-20% of cutaneous melanomas (CMs) are diagnosed as amelanotic/hypopigmented melanoma (AHM) and represent a challenge for early diagnosis. Objectives: To investigate loss-of-function mutations in key pigmentation genes in matched germline and AHM, as well as pigmented melanoma (PM), tumour DNA samples. Methods: Analysis of clinical and histopathological characteristics - together with whole-exome sequencing data of 34 fresh frozen primary CMs, graded according to the amount of pigmentation present - was performed. Together with germline and somatic variant analysis, 30 samples had previously been analysed for copy number aberration (CNA) changes. This study focused on germline and somatic variants in [...]
Impact of alternative diagnostic labels for melanoma in situ on management choices and psychological outcomes: protocol for an online randomised study.
Abstract Introduction: A diagnosis of melanoma in situ presents negligible risk to a person's lifespan or physical well-being, but existing terminology makes it difficult for patients to distinguish these from higher risk invasive melanomas. This study aims to explore whether using an alternative label for melanoma in situ may influence patients' management choices and anxiety levels. Methods and analysis: This study is a between-subjects randomised online experiment, using hypothetical scenarios. Following consent, eligible participants will be randomised 1:1:1 to three labels: 'melanoma in situ' (control), 'low-risk melanocytic neoplasm' (intervention 1) and 'low-risk melanocytic neoplasm, in situ' (intervention 2). The required sample [...]
The Development and Evaluation of a Convolutional Neural Network for Cutaneous Melanoma Detection in Whole Slide Images.
Abstract Context: The current melanoma staging system does not account for 26% of the variance seen in melanoma-specific survival, therefore our ability to predict patient outcome is not fully elucidated. Morphology may be of greater significance than in other solid tumors, with Breslow thickness remaining the strongest prognostic indicator despite being subject to high levels of interobserver variation. The application of convolutional neural networks to whole slide images affords objective morphologic metrics, which may reveal new insights into patient prognosis. Objective: To develop and evaluate a convolutional neural network for invasive cutaneous melanoma detection in whole slide images for [...]
Risk of Death Due to Melanoma and Other Causes in Patients With Thin Cutaneous Melanomas.
Abstract Importance: Most patients who present with primary cutaneous melanomas have thin tumors (≤1.0 mm in Breslow thickness, ie, pT1a and pT1b). Although their prognosis is generally considered to be excellent, there is limited precise information on the association of risk of death with specific Breslow measurements in thin lesions. Objective: To assess the relative effect of a 0.8-mm Breslow thickness threshold with respect to the incidence of both melanoma-related and nonmelanoma-related death. Design, setting, and participants: Registry data for all Australians diagnosed with thin invasive primary melanomas between 1982 and 2014 were analyzed. Data were extracted from all 8 Australian state [...]
Tissue-Based Profiling Techniques to Achieve Precision Medicine in Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges in Melanoma.
Abstract Immunotherapies targeting the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) checkpoint receptors have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, half of the treated patients do not respond to or eventually progress on standard therapies and many experience adverse events as a result of drug toxicity. The identification of accurate biomarkers of clinical outcomes are required in order to move away from the one-size-fits-all treatment approach of standard clinical practice and toward a more personalized approach to enable the administration of the optimal therapy for any given patient and further improve patient outcomes. Recent [...]
Impact of an online risk prediction tool for sentinel node metastasis on clinical decision-making in melanoma care: A mixed methods study.
Abstract Background The decision to perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) procedure can be guided by risk prediction tools. We aimed to investigate the impact of an online risk prediction tool for sentinel node metastasis on clinical decision-making. Methods We conducted a mixed methods study using an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews between April 2022 and March 2023. Australian clinicians and patients/carers who were using the Melanoma Institute Australia risk prediction tool were invited to participate. Results Sixty-one participants completed the questionnaire (52 clinicians including 36 general practitioners of whom 32 worked at skin cancer clinics; 14 surgeons; [...]
Impact of personalized response-directed surgery and adjuvant therapy on survival after neoadjuvant immunotherapy in stage III melanoma: Comparison of 3-year data from PRADO and OpACIN-neo.
Abstract Background: Pathologic response following neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in stage III melanoma serves as a surrogate marker for long-term outcomes. This may support more personalized, response-directed treatment strategies. Methods: The OpACIN-neo and PRADO trials were phase 2 studies evaluating neoadjuvant treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab in stage III melanoma. In OpACIN-neo, all patients underwent therapeutic lymph node dissection (TLND) without subsequent adjuvant therapy. In contrast, PRADO explored a response- directed strategy, where patients achieving a major pathologic response (MPR) omitted TLND and adjuvant therapy, while those without a pathologic response (pNR) received TLND and adjuvant therapy. Here, we provide [...]
In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy role for early to advanced lentigo maligna melanoma spectrum: A systematic review and pooled analysis.
Abstract Background: Lentigo maligna (LM) is a growing problem worldwide and the main type of melanoma in situ in some Caucasian populations. It presents as a spectrum from atypical intraepidermal melanocytic proliferation (AIMP) to invasive lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM). Accurate diagnosis and staging are crucial for determining appropriate management strategies. Objectives: To assess the role of in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) in differentiating early and advanced stages of lentigo maligna. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on Medline, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Proquest Central, Embase, Cochrane and Google Scholar. References of included and excluded studies were reviewed for additional sources. [...]