CLINICAL FEATURES OF MELANOMA AT THE NATIONAL HOSPITAL OF DERMATOLOGY AND VENEREOLOGY VIETNAM FROM 2008 TO 2012

Abstract

Objectives: Investigate the clinical features of malignant melanoma. Method: A restrospective traversal study basing on 60 patients with malignant melanoma at the National hospital of Dermato Venereology and the National hospital of Cancers. Results: The mean age of patients was 56.4 15. Female to male ratio was 1.6/1; 60% of patients were farmer, 66% of patients had lesions on foot, in which 23% on heel, 12.8% on plantar and 8.5% on the other areas of the foot. Nodular melanoma was 36.7%, acral melanoma was 33.3%, lentigo malignant melanoma was 3.3%, superficial melanoma was 5%. 60.7% of the patients had lymph node metastasis. 48.3% of all cases were at the III stage of AJCC classification. Conclusions: Malignant melanoma frequently occurred in elderly people. It was more common in women than men. Farmers were the most affected. Acral melanoma accounted for one third of all clinical types. 3/5 of the patients had lymph node metastasis.