A new tool for identification of patients with malignant melanoma most at risk for metastasis may allow resources to be concentrated more on patients in need of closer follow-up, according to an article in the February issue of the British Journal of Cancer.

According to background information in the article, metastatic melanoma causes 1,600 deaths per year in the U.K. The previous standard had relied on thickness, using the concept that thicker lesions are more likely to metastasize. However, many thin melanomas metastasize and only about 40 percent of thick lesions do so.

In the current study, British researchers measured the density of lymphatic vessels and followed patients for 8 years to see who actually developed metastatic disease. The authors then used the information to develop a tool that predicts metastatic spread.

Dr David Bates, lead author, said ‘We shall now be looking at a larger study of many hundreds of patients. If our findings are confirmed it will mean that the likelihood of a patient developing cancer in other organs could be predicted ahead of time with reasonable certainty. Resources can then be concentrated on those patients most in need of close follow up, and hopefully lead to earlier detection of the spread of cancer.’