Articles
15 January 2025
Vol. 17 No. 3 (2025)
Melanoma in pregnancy: multidisciplinary treatment management and outcome
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Pregnancy-associated melanoma affects both maternal and fetal health. This study aims to demonstrate how a specialized center and a multidisciplinary approach can provide the best outcomes. From January 2006 to September 2023, a bicentric observational study was conducted at the Plastic Surgery Department of Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, and at the Plastic and Regenerative Surgery Department of the San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy. Out of 6,800 melanoma cases, twenty pregnant women were selected: thirteen underwent only wide local excision (WLE), while seven also had sentinel node biopsy (SLNB). All preoperative, operative, and postoperative steps were performed to ensure the safety of mothers and fetuses. Two patients developed metastases, with one fatality from hepatic metastases. At 5-year follow-up overall survival was 86%, while disease-free survival in advanced-stage melanoma patients was 72%. No maternal or fetal complications related to surgery were reported. Additionally, early deliveries at 7 and 8 months did not result in neonatal complications. Surgical treatment should be conducted in centers with both surgeons and gynecologists, and special care is necessary for procedures on pregnant women. Based on our experience, pregnancy does not seem to be a negative prognostic factor for melanoma.
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Supporting Agencies
This research was funded by the Scientific Direction of San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, financed by the Ministry of Italian Health.How to Cite
Melanoma in pregnancy: multidisciplinary treatment management and outcome. (2025). Dermatology Reports, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2025.10095
Copyright (c) 2025 the Author(s)
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