Prognostic value of tumour thickness in cutaneous malignant melanoma

Abstract
The relation between survival and histological features in 91 patients with malignant melanoma was studied and the results were analyzed by Clayton''s method for interpretation of censored survival data. There was a significant correlation between tumor thickness and survival. The risk of dying from malignant melanoma after 10 yr of follow up was less than 15% if the primary tumor was less than 1.5 mm thick but more than 80% if the lesion was thicker than 8 mm. The type of melanoma, level of invasion, mitotic rate and presence of ulceration also correlated with survival, but these variables are related to tumor thickness.