Clinical Staging, Histopathological Features and Treatment Outcomes in Malignant Melanoma: A 10-Year Retrospective Single-Center Study

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to retrospectively evaluate the clinical stage at diagnosis, histopathological features and treatment outcomes of adult patients with malignant melanoma over a 10-year period at Van YüzüncüYıl University Hospital. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 95 adult patients diagnosed between January 2010 and December 2019. Collected data included demographics, melanoma subtypes, tumor location, AJCC stage, treatment approaches and survival outcomes. Results: The cohort consisted of 52.6% males and 47.4% females, with a mean age of 56.9±16.4 years. Cutaneous melanoma was the most common subtype (81.1%), with nodular melanoma as the predominant histological type. Lesion location significantly affected survival (*p*<0.05). Stage IV was the most frequent at diagnosis (43.2%). Interferon and chemotherapy were common adjuvant therapies. All ocular melanoma cases underwent surgical enucleation. The median follow-up was 24.4 months. Median overall survival was 11.3 months; the 5-year survival rate was 63.6%. Conclusion: Our findings emphasize the prognostic impact of histological subtype, tumor site and disease stage at diagnosis. Expanded access to novel therapies may improve outcomes in this patient population. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.