The Importance of Consumption of the Epidermis in Malignant Melanoma and Correlation with Clinicopathological Prognostic Parameters

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the importance of consumption of the epidermis as an additional diagnostic criteria for malignant melanoma and to evaluate its relationship to clinicopathological findings. Material and Method: The age, gender, localization of the lesion and the histopathological parameters such as tumor type, Breslow thickness, ulceration, Clark's level, mitosis/mm(2), lymphocytic infiltration were noted in 40 malignant melanoma cases. Consumption of the epidermis was evaluated in tumor sections. Consumption of the epidermis (COE) due to thinning of the epidermis and loss of rete ridges was noted as (+) or (-). Furthermore, COE was compared with clinical and histopathological parameters. The Shapiro Wilk and Logistic Regression tests were used for statistical analysis. The results were accepted as significant if the p value was < 0.05. Results: COE was detected in 60% (24/40) of malignant melanoma cases. A positive correlation was present between COE and head and neck localization (p= 0,698), superficial spreading melanoma (p= 0,341), ulceration (p= 0,097) and brisk lymphocytic infiltration (p= 0,200) but the results were not statistically significant. COE was frequently detected in males but the difference was not statistically significant (p= 0.796). There was no correlation or significant statistical association between COE and age, Breslow thickness, Clark's level or the mitotic index. Conclusion: The detection of COE in most of the patients suggests that COE could be a histopathological criterion in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma. The frequent association between COE and the presence of ulceration could also direct attention to COE as regards prognostic importance.