Anatomic Location of Primary Melanoma: Survival Differences and Sun Exposure
April 2019
in “
Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Where melanoma is on the body affects survival chances; melanomas on the back of the head are worse, while those on thighs and arms are less severe, and more sun exposure might improve survival.
The study analyzed 3,570 cases of primary cutaneous invasive melanoma and found that the anatomic location of the melanoma significantly affects melanoma-specific survival (MSS). Melanomas on the posterior scalp were associated with worse MSS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.46), while those on the thighs, forearms/hands, and anterior upper arms had better MSS. Sun exposure also played a role, with melanomas on intermittently (HR 0.56) and chronically (HR 0.70) sun-exposed sites showing improved survival compared to rarely exposed sites. The findings suggest that the posterior scalp should be considered a high-risk site and may require more vigilant surveillance. The study acknowledged potential limitations such as referral bias and incomplete data on certain clinical factors.
