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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
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A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model
Published on: May 18, 2018
Outcomes for lymph node-positive cutaneous melanoma over two decades.
Steve R Martinez1, Warren H Tseng, Shawn E Young
1Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology Sacramento, University of California at Davis, 4501 X Street, Suite 3010, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. steve.martinez@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
World Journal of Surgery
|May 12, 2011
Summary
Melanoma survival rates for node-positive patients have not improved over two decades. While melanoma-specific survival (MSS) has seen a slight increase, overall survival (OS) remains unchanged, suggesting stage migration may be a factor.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Node-positive cutaneous melanoma presents a significant challenge despite treatment advances.
- Assessing long-term survival trends is crucial for evaluating therapeutic efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate changes in overall survival (OS) and melanoma-specific survival (MSS) for node-positive cutaneous melanoma patients over two decades.
- To determine if recent treatment eras show improved survival outcomes compared to earlier periods.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National Cancer Institute's SEER database for patient identification.
- Categorized patients into two treatment eras (1988-1999 and 2000-2006).
- Employed multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to compare OS and MSS, controlling for prognostic factors.
Main Results:
- Analyzed 6,868 patients; 1,631 in era I and 5,237 in era II.
- Era II patients showed a significantly lower risk of melanoma-specific mortality (HR 0.81, P=0.003).
- No significant difference in overall survival (HR 0.89, P<0.08) was observed between eras.
Conclusions:
- Melanoma-specific survival (MSS) has improved for AJCC stage III melanoma patients over nearly two decades, but overall survival (OS) has not.
- Stage migration is a potential explanation for the observed improvements in MSS in the more recent era.
