Incidence of Synchronous Multiple Primary Melanoma in Patients with Solitary Melanoma: a Prospective Comparative Study

Abstract

Background. Malignant melanoma is steadily exaggerating over the recent decades. Nonetheless, improved systemic therapies have substantially increased life expectancy in patients with a locally advanced or disseminated disease. Higherincidence recurrent melanocytic skin lesions become essentially problematic and require more attention and control.Aim. Cross-survey on the incidence of synchronous multiple primary melanomas in patients with solitary melanoma and those with other operable solid tumours.Materials and methods. A total of 289 patients with suspected malignant pigmented skin melanoma were included in the survey. Patients were divided in two cohorts by the presence of primary skin melanoma and its tractability for radical excision. Patients with operable melanoma comprised the study cohort, and those with other solid tumours were the control.Results and discussion. The survey covered 289 patients, with 148 in the study and 141 in the control cohort. The study148 patients revealed 112 malignant pigmented melanomas, but none in the control cohort. A chi-square statistical analysis of clinical values in single and multiple melanoma cases showed a slightly higher prevalence of first-visit melanomas in patients with synchronous tumours (30% pT4 — p = 0.007).Conclusion. The observed 10% rate of second melanoma in the study cohort and a zero melanoma incidence in the control support the alternative hypothesis of a higher rate of newly detected melanomas in primarily diagnosed melanoma patients vs. those with solid tumours.