IS LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP JUSTIFIED AFTER EXCISION OF A THIN MELANOMA (LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO 1.5 MM) - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 206 PATIENTS

From 1964 to 1988, 231 patients underwent local excision as the single treatment of melanoma with a thickness of ≤ 1.5 mm. We investigated the prognostic value of several factors on cancer‐specific survival and cancer‐specific disease‐free survival, from time of excision on, by performing life‐table analysis on 206 evaluable patients. Recurrence developed in 11 patients; local recurrence occurred in four patients, hematogenic spread in three patients and lymph node metastases in another four patients. Six patients died as a result of the disease. Tumors with a thickness of ≤ 1.5 mm have an excellent prognosis regardless of the localization of the melanoma. At 15 years cancer‐specific survival was 92.3% and cancer‐specific disease‐free survival was 86.9%. Recurrence was successfully treated with hope for cure in 4 patients. This figures does not justify aggressive follow‐up for all patients. Copyright © 1990 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company