Hypothesis: Cutaneous melanoma in nonwhite persons has a manifestation and a prognosis that are different than those of cutaneous melanoma in white persons. Design: Case series. Setting: Tertiary care university-affiliated community medical center located in a multiethnic state in which white persons are a minority of the population.

Despite significant differences in the mean number of nodes examined between medical centers, the overall survival in patients with node-negative colorectal cancer in the 3 medical centers was not statistically different (P =.79). The criterion of examining 14 or more nodes distinguished between individuals at low risk for recurrence and those at increased risk. Conclusions: Variability exists between medical centers in the pathological analysis of colorectal cancer specimens. However, within an institution, examining a mean of 14 or more nodes accurately stages apparently nodenegative colorectal cancer and accurately predicts outcome.

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