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Pediatric melanoma: a single-institution experience of 150 patients.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Aldrink, JH; Selim, MA; Diesen, DL; Johnson, J; Pruitt, SK; Tyler, DS; Seigler, HF
Published in: J Pediatr Surg
August 2009

PURPOSE: Differentiating pigmented skin lesions from malignant melanoma in the pediatric population has been a challenge. Despite guidelines describing clinical features and histopathologic criteria to distinguish these lesions, misdiagnoses still occur. We report our experience over 30 years in a pediatric population with malignant melanoma. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 150 pediatric patients treated for malignant melanoma between 1973 and 2007 at our institution. Outcomes measured included age, Breslow thickness, Clark level of invasion, tumor location, local and distant failure rates, and overall survival. RESULTS: One hundred fifty pediatric patients were evaluated. The mean age was 15.1 years. The mean Breslow thickness was 2.05 mm and corresponding Clark level of invasion was 3.47. There were 43 known recurrences (29%); 29 distant, 14 nodal, and 7 local. Overall survival was 84% with a mean follow-up of 8.5 years. Sixteen patients (10.7%) were incorrectly diagnosed on initial pathologic examination. Overall survival in the misdiagnosed group was 66%. CONCLUSION: Pigmented skin lesions in the pediatric population represent a diagnostic challenge to pathologists and clinicians. Improvements in diagnostic techniques with rigorous characterization, as well as increased physician awareness, should lead to a reduction in errors of diagnosis.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Pediatr Surg

DOI

EISSN

1531-5037

Publication Date

August 2009

Volume

44

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1514 / 1521

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Survival Rate
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Skin Neoplasms
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Pediatrics
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Aldrink, J. H., Selim, M. A., Diesen, D. L., Johnson, J., Pruitt, S. K., Tyler, D. S., & Seigler, H. F. (2009). Pediatric melanoma: a single-institution experience of 150 patients. J Pediatr Surg, 44(8), 1514–1521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2008.12.003
Aldrink, Jennifer H., M Angelica Selim, Diana L. Diesen, Jeffrey Johnson, Scott K. Pruitt, Douglas S. Tyler, and Hilliard F. Seigler. “Pediatric melanoma: a single-institution experience of 150 patients.J Pediatr Surg 44, no. 8 (August 2009): 1514–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2008.12.003.
Aldrink JH, Selim MA, Diesen DL, Johnson J, Pruitt SK, Tyler DS, et al. Pediatric melanoma: a single-institution experience of 150 patients. J Pediatr Surg. 2009 Aug;44(8):1514–21.
Aldrink, Jennifer H., et al. “Pediatric melanoma: a single-institution experience of 150 patients.J Pediatr Surg, vol. 44, no. 8, Aug. 2009, pp. 1514–21. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2008.12.003.
Aldrink JH, Selim MA, Diesen DL, Johnson J, Pruitt SK, Tyler DS, Seigler HF. Pediatric melanoma: a single-institution experience of 150 patients. J Pediatr Surg. 2009 Aug;44(8):1514–1521.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Pediatr Surg

DOI

EISSN

1531-5037

Publication Date

August 2009

Volume

44

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1514 / 1521

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Survival Rate
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Skin Neoplasms
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Pediatrics
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local