Does local tumor recurrence influence overall survival?

No. Local recurrence is defined as any recurrence of a primary tumor within 2 cm of the excisional scar of a primary melanoma. Most (~95%) recurrences occur within the first 5 years after excision, and the overall risk for local recurrence is usually depends on ulceration and anatomical sites. In this regard, the risk of local recurrence is increased in ulcerated primary tumors, as well as tumors on the head, neck, hands, and feet. Local recurrence is associated with the development of in-transit, regional, and distant metastatic disease but is not an independent prognostic indicator of survival.

Karakousis CP, Bartolucci AA, Balch C: Local recurrence and its management. In Balch CM, Houghton AN, Sober AJ, Soon S-J, editors: Cutaneous melanoma, ed 3, St Louis, Quality Medical Publishing, 1998, pp 155–162.


Bricca GM, Brodland DG, Ren D, Zitelli JA: Cutaneous head and neck melanoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery, J Am Acad Dermatol 52:92–100, 2005.

Thompson JF, Scolyer RA, Uren RF: Surgical management of primary cutaneous melanoma: excision margins and the role of sentinel lymph node examination, Surg Oncol Clin N Am 15:301–318, 2006.