A study of the clinical characteristics and prognosis of advanced mucosal and cutaneous melanoma in a Chinese population

Immunotherapy. 2019 Feb;11(2):91-99. doi: 10.2217/imt-2018-0030. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the characteristics and prognosis of melanoma in a Chinese population.

Materials & methods: Total of 162 advanced melanoma patients were analyzed retrospectively. Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test were used for survival analysis.

Results: The median progression-free survival of mucosal and cutaneous melanoma patients was 13 versus 8 months (p = 0.005), 14 versus 10 months in immunotherapy group (p = 0.022), 6 versus 4 months in chemotherapy group (p = 0.040). Age was an independent risk factor for mucosal melanoma patients. Staging and treatment regimen were independent risk factors for cutaneous melanoma patients. The lungs, liver and brain were most common metastasis locations.

Conclusion: The prognosis of patients with advanced mucosal melanoma is better than cutaneous melanoma in China. There are significant differences between the two subtypes of melanoma.

Keywords: Chinese population; chemotherapy; clinicopathologic characteristic; cutaneous melanoma; immunotherapy; melanoma; mucosal melanoma; prognosis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • China / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy, Adoptive / methods*
  • Male
  • Melanoma / diagnosis*
  • Melanoma / epidemiology
  • Melanoma / mortality
  • Middle Aged
  • Mucous Membrane / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Nose Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Nose Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Nose Neoplasms / mortality
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Skin Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Skin Neoplasms / mortality
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome