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Clinicopathological features, vitamin D serological levels and prognosis in cutaneous melanoma of shield-sites: an update

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Abstract

Intermittent sun exposure and sunburns are strongly related to the development of melanoma (MM); however, MM can also arise in non-sun exposed areas, where other biological pathways may cause the disease, with different outcomes. At the same time, evidences of serum levels of vitamin D in melanoma patients according to sun-exposed or not-sun-exposed areas are still lacking, especially if compared with the percentage of BRAF mutation. We performed a retrospective analysis with patients registered in our electronic database and an observational study in patients with a recent diagnosis of MM. Performing Kaplan–Meier product and log-rank test, median disease-free survival was 78 months in non-shield-sites (NST-MM) patients and 20.5 months in shield-sites (ST-MM) patients (p < 0.0001); also in the long term, a better behavior was observed for NST-MM (80 vs. 42 months; p < 0.0001). Among 87 melanoma patients with a recent history of MM (≤30 days), we found that ST-MM patients showed lower values of vitamin D compared with NST-MM patients. Regarding BRAF status, a BRAF mutation was present in 13 % of ST-MM and in 41 % of NST-MM. Performing Mc-Nemar test, we found a statistical significant correlation between low serum levels of vitamin D in ST-MM and low percentage of BRAF mutation (p = 0.03), as well as between serum levels of vitamin D and high percentage of BRAF mutation in NST-MM (p < 0.001). All these aspects confirm that in ST-MM, other pathways play pivotal points, if compared with NST-MM.

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Ethical standard

We declare that our study was performer in accordance with ethical standards laid down in 1964 declaration of Helsinki. We declare also that all persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusions in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatologic Clinic, La Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00186, Rome, Italy

    Giovanni Paolino, Elisa Moliterni, Dario Didona, Valentina Garelli, Paola Corsetti, Teresa Lopez, Antonio Giovanni Richetta, Carmen Cantisani & Stefano Calvieri

  2. University Magna Graecia, V.le Europa, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy

    Ugo Bottoni

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  1. Giovanni Paolino
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  2. Elisa Moliterni
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  3. Dario Didona
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  6. Teresa Lopez
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  10. Stefano Calvieri
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Correspondence to Giovanni Paolino.

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Paolino, G., Moliterni, E., Didona, D. et al. Clinicopathological features, vitamin D serological levels and prognosis in cutaneous melanoma of shield-sites: an update. Med Oncol 32, 451 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-014-0451-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-014-0451-4

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