Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40295421›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2025

Cartilage Resection in the Surgical Management of Ear Melanoma.

Elan Novis, Joyce Tan, Danielle Vignati, Terence Wong, Robert V Rawson, Jonathan R Stretch, Serigne N Lo, Thomas E Pennington, Sydney Ch'ng, Kerwin F Shannon and 6 more

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Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Elan NovisMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Joyce TanThe University of NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Danielle VignatiMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Terence WongMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Robert V RawsonMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Jonathan R StretchMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Serigne N LoMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Thomas E PenningtonMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Sydney Ch'ngMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Kerwin F ShannonMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Andrew J SpillaneMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Omgo E NiewegMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
John F ThompsonMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Michael RtshiladzeMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Richard A ScolyerMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Robyn P M SawMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. robyn.saw@melanoma.org.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMelanoma of the ear accounts for approximately 1% of cutaneous melanomas. Management recommendations are based on small retrospective series and case reports. Resection of melanoma of the ear requires a delicate balance between disease clearance, preservation of function, and aesthetics. The role of cartilage resection in the wide excision of melanoma of the ear remains unclear. We aimed to compare outcomes in patients having wide excision of ear melanoma who had cartilage resected with those who had a cartilage-sparing approach.

methodsData were obtained from the Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) prospectively maintained database. All patients diagnosed with invasive melanoma involving the ear between 1990 and 2022 were included. Data analysis was performed to assess the association between cartilage resection and recurrence-free survival (RFS), melanoma-specific survival (MSS), and overall survival (OS).

resultsOverall, 411 patients were included in the study, of whom 330 (80%) had cartilage resected and 81 (20%) had a cartilage-sparing resection. The cartilage resection group had a higher mean Breslow thickness (1.9 vs. 1.4 mm; p = 0.0002), whereas the cartilage-sparing group had a higher proportion of stage IA disease (60.5 vs. 39.7%; p = 0.041). Five (1.2%) patients had melanoma invading into perichondrium but not deeper. Cartilage resection had no impact on RFS {hazard ratio [HR] 0.82 (0.52-1.29); p = 0.39} or MSS (HR 0.89 (0.30-2.62); p = 0.83).

conclusionThe decision to resect cartilage as part of the wide excision of invasive ear melanoma should be tailored to the needs of the individual patient, however a cartilage-sparing approach does not appear to compromise MSS outcomes, particularly in early-stage disease.

Indexed as

Ear CartilageEar NeoplasmsMelanomaNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalOrgan Sparing TreatmentsSkin NeoplasmsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProspective Studies

Identifiers

PMID40295421
PMCPMC12130111

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.