Background and Objectives For patients with cutaneous melanoma, primary tumors located in the head and neck is associated with poor outcomes. The reason for this difference and whether it is applicable to all locations within the head and neck remains unclear. We hypothesized that scalp melanoma is uniquely distinguished from other anatomic sites and is independently responsible for the poor prognosis of head and neck melanoma. Methods Query and analysis of a prospectively maintained melanoma database of all patients treated for primary cutaneous melanoma from 1971 – 2010. Results Of 11,384 patients identified, 7% (n=799) of lesions originated on the scalp. Scalp primaries were more often found in males and were associated with increased Breslow thickness and were more frequently ulcerated compared to all other anatomic sites (p=0.0001). On multivariate analysis, scalp location was an independent predictor of worse melanoma-specific (HR 1.75; CI 1.50–2.04; p<0.0001) and overall survival (HR 1.62; CI 1.41–1.86: p<0.0001). Conclusions This, the largest series examining scalp melanoma, confirms that scalp location is independently responsible for the negative prognosis associated with head and neck melanoma. Although the pathophysiology of this difference remains to be determined, these data argue for more rigorous surveillance of this anatomic location.

Gastric adenocarcinoma studies show improved survival for Asians but have not reported stage-specific overall survival (OS) or disease-specific survival (DSS) by race. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was queried for cases of gastric adenocarcinoma between 1998 and 2008. We evaluated OS and DSS by race and stage. Number of assessed lymph nodes was compared among surgical patients. Of 49,058 patients with complete staging data, 35,300 were white, 7709 were Asian, and 6049 were black. Asians had significantly better OS for all stages ( P < 0.001) and significantly better DSS for Stages I ( P < 0.0001) and II ( P = 0.0006). As compared with blacks, whites had significantly better DSS for Stages I ( P < 0.0001), II ( P = 0.0055), III ( P = 0.0165), and IV ( P < 0.0001). Among the 28,133 (57%) surgical patients, average number of evaluated lymph nodes was highest for Asians ( P < 0.0001). Among surgical patients with 15 or more nodes evaluated, DSS was worse in blacks with Stage I disease ( P < 0.05). Blacks with gastric adenocarcinoma have a worse DSS, which disappears when surgical treatment includes adequate lymphadenectomy. Race-associated survival differences for gastric adenocarcinoma might simply reflect variations in surgical staging techniques and socioeconomic factors.

BackgroundThe prognostic significance of multiple draining basins is controversial in melanoma because analyses have not adequately controlled for standard prognostic variables. We hypothesized that an analysis based on prognostically matched pairs of patients with multiple versus single drainage basins would clarify any independent role of basin number.Study designWe identified patients in our 40-year prospective database, who underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy, intraoperative sentinel node biopsy and wide local excision for cutaneous melanoma. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared in patients with multiple versus single drainage basins after matching by age, sex, Breslow depth, primary site, and stage at diagnosis.ResultsWe identified 274 patients with multibasin drainage and 1,413 patients with single draining lymph node basins. Matching yielded 259 pairs (226 trunk, 27 head/neck, 6 extremity). Among matched pairs, multibasin drainage did not affect rates of lymph node metastasis (p = 0.84), OS (p = 0.23), DSS (p = 0.53), overall recurrence (p = 0.65), locoregional recurrence (p = 0.58), or distant recurrence (p = 1.0). Multivariable analysis linked higher T stage, ulceration, older age, and lymph node positivity to decreased DSS (p < 0.01) and DFS (p < 0.001). Number of drainage basins was not significant on univariable or multivariable analysis.ConclusionThis analysis, the first to match for standard prognostic factors, suggests that multiplebasin drainage as identified by lymphoscintigraphy has no independent biological or prognostic significance in primary cutaneous melanoma.

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