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. 2022 Jul 12;19(14):8499. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19148499

Table 3.

Outcomes and interventions of patients with malignant melanoma before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before COVID-19 (n = 163) During COVID-19 (n = 138) p-Value *
Surgical treatment 0.038
Mohs micrographic surgery 5 (3.1%) 3 (1.4%)
Wide local excision 154 (94.5%) 124 (89.9%)
Unresectable 4 (2.5%) 12 (8.7%)
Lymph node evaluation 0.038
Sentinel node 23 (29.9%) 13 (16.0%)
Dissection 54 (70.1%) 68 (84.0%)
Lymph node dissection region 0.297
Axilla 38 (49.4%) 44 (54.3%)
Inguinal 26 (33.8%) 30 (37.0%)
Other zones 13 (16.9%) 7 (8.6%)
Skin repair 0.342
Direct suture 119 (73.0%) 102 (73.9%)
Skin graft 8 (4.9%) 9 (6.5%)
Skin flap 24 (14.7%) 23 (16.7%)
Free tissue transfer 12 (7.4%) 4 (2.9%)
Referred for palliative care 38 (23.3%) 39 (28.3%) 0.326
Reason for palliation
Poor prognosis 14 (36.8%) 17 (43.6%) 0.546
Distant metastasis 5 (13.2%) 12 (30.8%) 0.062
Poor performance status 19 (50.0%) 10 (25.6%) 0.027
Days of hospitalization 5.9 ± 3.8 7.0 ± 3.7 0.011 **
Treatment complications
Local infection 22 (13.5%) 26 (18.8%) 0.207
Skin necrosis 5 (3.1%) 6 (4.3%) 0.555
Lymphoedema 19 (11.7%) 23 (16.7%) 0.211
Digestive 48 (29.4%) 52 (37.7%) 0.130
Anemia 60 (36.8%) 69 (50.0%) 0.021
Leucopenia 14 (8.6%) 15 (10.9%) 0.504
Depression 37 (22.7%) 46 (33.3%) 0.039
Referral source 0.025
Primary care 103 (63.2%) 68 (49.3%)
Secondary care 60 (36.8%) 70 (50.7%)
Outcomes
Time from first signs until seeking medical opinion, weeks, median (IQR) 6 (5) 9 (7) <0.001
Change in treatment plan 25 (15.3%) 34 (24.6%) 0.042
Postponed treatment 13 (8.0%) 26 (18.8%) 0.005
Missed appointments 19 (11.7%) 28 (20.3%) 0.039
ICU admission 3 (1.8%) 6 (4.3%) 0.203
Disease progression at 3 months 38 (23.3%) 47 (34.1%) 0.039

* Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test; ** Student’s t-test; IQR, interquartile range (percentile 25–percentile 75); ICU, intensive care unit.