Spitzoid cutaneous melanoma is associated with favorable clinicopathological factors and outcome

Background: Spitzoid melanoma is one of the rare subtypes of melanoma, whose clinical and pathological characteristics have yet to be understood. Objective: Understanding the histopathologic features and behavior characteristics of Spitzoid cutaneous melanoma. Methods: A total number of 11 Turkish Caucasian patients with pathologically diagnosed Spitzoid melanoma were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The median age of patients was 24 years (ranging from 16 to 54 years), and the females outnumbered the males (90%). The extremities, especially lower limbs (67%), were the most commonly affected primary areas (64% of patients). Median depth and mitotic rate were 2.2 mm and 3 /mm(2), respectively. The presence of ulceration and regression were observed in a few lesions (14%). While tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were expressed in all of the lesions, none of the lesions was associated with lymphovascular invasion and/or neurotropism. The regional lymph nodes were involved only in minority of the patients (27%), and no patients had metastatic disease. Recurrences occurred in only two patients (18%) that affected merely distant areas, that is, lung and brain. The median disease-free survival time and 5year disease-free survival rate were 20.5 months and 80.6%, respectively. Only one (9%) death occurred; and the median overall survival time was 26.2 months, and 5year overall survival rate was 90.7%. Conclusion: Spitzoid cutaneous melanoma is correlated with favorable histopathologic and clinical characteristics, and therefore, it is associated with better survival rates.