Table 2.
Associations between lymphovascular parameters and macrophage count (determined using immunohistochemistry) and ulceration status in primary melanoma tumors in univariate and multivariate analyses.
| Univariate analysis | Multivariate logistic regression model (n=169) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factor | Not ulcerated (n=145) | Ulcerated (n=50) | Test statistic and P-value | OR (95% CI) | P-value |
| Blood/lymphatic vessel invasion on H+E slide, n (%): | Fisher's exact p=0.36 | ||||
| No | 129 (90.9) | 48 (96.0) | |||
| Present/possible | 13 (9.1) | 2 (4.0) | |||
| Blood vessel invasion (CD34), n (%): | Fisher's exact p=0.39 | ||||
| Negative | 130 (97.0) | 46 (93.9) | |||
| Positive | 4 (3.0) | 3 (6.1) | |||
| Lymphatic invasion (D2-40), n (%): | χ2 (1) 22.6, p<0.001 | ||||
| Negative | 109 (82.6) | 22 (46.8) | 1.0 | ||
| Positive/possible | 23 (17.4) | 25 (53.2) | 3.59 (1.64-7.87) | 0.001 | |
| Any vessel invasion using IHC, n (%): | χ2 (1) 19.5, p<0.001 | ||||
| Both negative | 103 (79.8) | 22 (45.8) | |||
| Either positive/possible | 26 (20.2) | 26 (54.2) | |||
| Intratumoral lymphatic invasion, n (%): | χ2 (1) 14.7, p<0.001 | ||||
| Negative | 121 (89.0) | 31 (64.6) | |||
| Positive/possible | 15 (11.0) | 17 (35.4) | |||
| Peritumoral lymphatic invasion, n (%): | χ2 (1) 17.0, p<0.001 | ||||
| Negative | 119 (91.5) | 29 (65.9) | |||
| Positive/possible | 11 (8.5) | 15 (34.1) | |||
| Lymphatic density, n (%): | χ2(1) 0.1, p=0.74 | ||||
| Low | 69 (50.7) | 23 (47.9) | |||
| High | 67 (49.3) | 25 (52.1) | |||
| Intratumoral lymphatic density, n (%): | χ2(1) 0.7, p=0.41 | ||||
| Low | 69 (50.7) | 21 (43.8) | |||
| High | 67 (49.3) | 27 (56.2) | |||
| Peritumoral lymphatic density, n (%): | χ2(1) 0.1, p=0.73 | ||||
| Low | 66 (50.8) | 21 (47.7) | |||
| High | 64 (49.2) | 23 (52.3) | |||
| Microvessel density, n (%): | χ2 (1) 17.8, p<0.001 | ||||
| Low | 80 (59.7) | 12 (24.5) | 1.0 | ||
| High | 54 (40.3) | 37 (75.5) | 2.59 (1.16-5.80) | 0.02 | |
| Macrophage count, n (%): | χ2 (1) 12.2, p<0.001 | ||||
| Low | 79 (56.8) | 14 (28.0) | 1.0 | ||
| High | 60 (43.2) | 36 (72.0) | 2.42 (1.07-5.50) | 0.03 | |
Statistical tests (degrees of freedom) and p-values are presented for association between the factor and ulceration status in univariate analysis. Odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals and significance values are presented for the associations between each factor and ulceration in a multiple logistic regression model. The multivariate model is based on 169 tumors where data for all variables assessed were available. Vessel density and macrophage counts were categorised into high and low groups around the median value. The variable “any vessel invasion” was not included in the multivariate lymphovascular model as it was generated from the “blood vessel invasion” and lymphatic vessel invasion” variables. In addition, the variable “lymphatic invasion” was used in preference to “intratumoral lymphatic invasion” and “peritumoral lymphatic invasion” in the multivariate model as these variables were highly correlated with “lymphatic invasion” which was most associated with ulceration status in univariate analysis. Significance values quoted for Fisher's exact tests are 2-sided. Statistically significant results are highlighted in bold. Abbreviations used: H+E, haematoxylin and eosin; n, number.