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The overall median survival of patients with metastatic malignant melanoma is 6 to 10 months; this survival period drops by half when the metastasis affects the brain. Neoplastic cells traveling within vessels is the most widely accepted route of metastatic spread. For malignant melanoma (MM), an alternative pattern of spread has been proposed: extravascular migratory migrations (EVMM), evidenced by angiotropism.
In this retrospective study, researchers analyzed 20 primary MMs and respective metastatic brain lesions in search of angiotropism. The primary MMs were analyzed for presence of angiotropism, Breslow thickness, Clark level, mitotic rate, sentinel lymph node (SLN) status, and time interval between the primary lesion and the metastasi…