Table 4.
Summary of the multivariate analysis of selected factors associated with overall survival (model 1, without results of lymph MM RT-PCR; model 2, including results of lymph MM RT-PCR)
| Variable | Model 1 (N = 321) | Model 2 (N = 137) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P value | HR | HR 95% CI | P value | HR | HR 95% CI | |
| Gender | ||||||
| Male vs. female | .001 | 0.499 | 0.336−0.742 | |||
| Primary melanoma level of invasion according to Clark | ||||||
| Clark III | .216 | 0.580 | 0.245−1.374 | |||
| Clark IV | .574 | 1.266 | 0.557−2.875 | |||
| Clark V | .871 | 0.929 | 0.380−2.272 | |||
| Ulceration of melanoma | ||||||
| Present vs absent | .001 | 2.168 | 1.349−3.483 | .021 | 2.17 | 1.124−4.201 |
| Maximal diameter of metastases to sentinel node | ||||||
| >1.0 mm versus 0.1–1.0 mm | .010 | 1.061 | 1.014−1.110 | .001 | 1.128 | 1.053−1.209 |
| Number of lymph nodes with metastases | ||||||
| 2–3 | .111 | 1.409 | 0.924−2.147 | |||
| ≥4 | .006 | 2.692 | 1.328−5.453 | |||
| Lymph MM RT-PCR assay result | ||||||
| Positive vs. negative | <.001 | 3.24 | 1.78−5.95 | |||
HR hazard ratio, CI confidence interval, MM RT–PCR multimarker reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, NA not available