Prognostic factors for metastasis in cutaneous melanoma

Abstract: Background: Melanoma is a malignant neoplasia that shows high mortality when diagnosed in advanced stages. Early identification of high-risk patients for the development of melanoma metastases is the main strategy to reduce mortality. Objective: To assess the influence of eight epidemiological and histopathologic features on the development of metastases in patients diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma. Methods: Our historical cohort comprised patients with invasive primary cutaneous melanoma seen between 1995 and 2012 at a public university hospital and a private oncologic s...