Does likelihood of survival differ between patients with single vs. multiple primary melanomas?

Bottom Line: Patients with multiple primary melanomas had a higher likelihood of dying than those with a single primary melanoma in a study that used data from registries in the Netherlands. This observational study included nearly 57,000 patients (54,645 with a single primary melanoma and 2,284 with multiple primary melanomas). The study has limitations to consider, including a lack of information about family history and another possible limitation that researchers chose not to include melanoma in situ (when the disease is in its earliest form) because they analyzed features not related to it. The findings suggest the possibility that more strict follow-up may be warranted for patients with multiple primary melanomas.

Authors: Mary-Ann El Sharouni, M.D., University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2019.1134)

Editor’s Note:  Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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