Quality of Life Following Surgical Excision of Early-Stage Melanoma of the Head and Neck—Reply

In Reply We thank Thompson et al for their commentary and agree that the statement on survival of melanoma in situ (Tis) and T1a melanoma needs clarification. While Tis melanoma is considered nonfatal, we acknowledge that T1a melanomas can have varied disease-specific survival rates, with reported 5-year survival ranging from 96.7% to 99%, and 10-year survival ranging from 94.2% to 98%. In the updated American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual 8th edition for melanoma, for example, there is improved T1 survival compared with the 7th edition, likely owing to inclusion of sentinel lymph node biopsy status. The long-term follow-up reported by Thompson and colleagues demonstrates that T1a melanoma can be deadly and can recur 20 years after diagnosis necessitating long-term follow up.

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