Factors associated with time to surgery in melanoma: An analysis of the National Cancer Database.

BACKGROUND

Timely treatment for melanoma may affect survival, and characterizing the predictors of delay may inform intervention strategies.

OBJECTIVE

To determine characteristics associated with the interval between diagnosis and surgery in melanoma.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to examine factors associated with the interval between diagnosis and surgery among 213 146 patients with stage I, II, or III cutaneous melanoma.

RESULTS

Among privately insured patients, time to surgery was longer for patients aged 50 to 70 years (hazard ratio [HR], 0.96) and older than 70 years (HR, 0.83) compared with those younger than 50 years. In contrast, patients without private insurance experienced a shorter surgical wait time if older (HR for age 50-70 years, 1.07; HR for age >70 years, 1.05). Other factors associated with longer surgical interval included nonwhite race, less education, higher comorbidity burden, advanced stage, and head or neck melanoma location.

LIMITATIONS: Use of zip code-level data for income and education level.

CONCLUSION

Patients with melanoma experience disparities in timely receipt of surgery.