Rate of growth in melanomas: Characteristics and associations of rapidly growing melanomas

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the spectrum of growth rates in melanomas and to identify clinical associations of rapidly growing melanomas. Design: Clinical interview, skin examination, and pathology review. Setting: Three tertiary melanoma referral centers and 2 private dermatology practices. Patients: A total of 404 consecutive patients with invasive primary cutaneous melanomas. Main Outcome Measure: A surrogate for rate of growth in primary invasive melanoma was calculated as the ratio of Breslow thickness to time to melanoma development based on a previously reported assessment tool. Results: One third of the melanomas grew 0.5 mm per month or more. The median monthly growth rate was 0.12 m..