Thickness and diameter in melanoma: is there a relation?

Tumori. 2016 Feb 4;102(1):e1-3. doi: 10.5301/tj.5000369.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between diameter and Breslow's thickness in skin melanoma.

Methods: 2,071 skin melanomas incident in the area of activity of the Tuscany Cancer Registry (central Italy) were analyzed. Pearson's linear correlation coefficient r was computed between diameter and Breslow's thickness.

Results: There was a statistically significant, but rather small, correlation between diameter and Breslow (r = 0.39). The same was true for men and women, for older and younger patients, and for skin subsites. 22.3% of the examined skin melanomas had a diameter ≤6 mm.

Conclusions: There was a statistically significant, but small, correlation between Breslow's thickness and diameter in skin melanomas. Moreover, a non-negligible proportion of small lesions were thick and/or nodular.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Melanoma / pathology*
  • Melanoma / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prognosis
  • Registries
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery
  • Tissue Fixation