Tariq M. Murad

TL;DR: Clinical trials evaluating alternative surgical treatments or adjunctive therapy modalities for melanoma patients should incorporate these parameters into their assessment, especially in Stage I (localized) disease where tumor thickness and the anatomical site of the primary melanoma are dominant prognostic factors.

TL;DR: The Breslow microstaging method of measuring thickness is a valid prognostic indicator, even for ulcerated lesions and should be considered as a stratification criterion in clinical trials and accounted for when analyzing results of melanoma treatment.

TL;DR: While tumor thickness was the most important factor in predicting the risk of nodal metastases in Stage I patients, it had no predictive value on the patient's clinical course once nodal Metastases had occurred.

TL;DR: Pulmonary metastases were associated with a significantly higher survival rate than metastatic melanoma in any other visceral site and emphasizes the importance of careful physical exams in routine metastatic evaluations.

TL;DR: An analysis of failure to control locally recurrent or metastatic melanoma was used to substantiate the value of thickness as a guide to surgical management and the rationale of elective RND isImproved survival in patients with intermediate thickness lesions while it is justifiable as a staging procedure for lesions exceeding 4.0 mm thickness.