Retrospective study of patients with cutaneous melanoma treated at the Federal University of São Paulo.

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the characteristics of the patients with cutaneous melanoma treated at the São Paulo Hospital - UNIFESP. Methods: we conducted a retrospective study of 184 cases of cutaneous melanoma. We analyzed information on gender, age, tumor characteristics, histological characteristics and staging. Results: mean age at diagnosis was 58.7 years, with homogeneous age distribution between genders and predominance in white individuals (70.6%). There was a predominance of trunk involvement in men (36.7%) and lower limbs in women (42%). Sun exposure, with sunburns, was more common among males (31.2%) than among females (23.5%). There was an approximately three-fold increase in lymph node involvement when the mitotic index rose from zero (11.9%) to one or more mitosis per field (36.2%). In addition, the greater the Breslow thickness, the greater the lymph node involvement and poor the outcomes: 10.2% when less than 1mm and 59.2% when greater than 4mm. Conclusion: the characteristics of patients with cutaneous melanoma treated at Hospital São Paulo are similar to those found in the literature.