ABSTRACT
Background: Nonmetastatic melanoma is a significant health concern, with surgical intervention being a cornerstone of treatment. However, optimal timing of surgery remains uncertain. Prior studies have yielded conflicting results regarding the effect of surgical timing on results in patients having nonmetastatic melanoma.
Aim: This comprehensive meta-analysis aimed to evaluate effect of surgical timing on outcomes, including recurrence rates, general survival, and disease-free survival, in patients with nonmetastatic melanoma.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases to identify relevant studies published up to March 2024. Researches that explored association between surgical timing and outcomes in patients with nonmetastatic melanoma were involved. Data were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the pooled effect size of surgical timing on various outcome measures.
Results: A total of 35 studies were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 120 patients with nonmetastatic melanoma. The pooled analysis exposed the substantial association among surgical timing and outcomes. Early surgical intervention was associated with lower recurrence rates, improved overall survival, and increased disease-free survival compared to delayed surgery.
Conclusion: This meta-analysis offers robust indication supporting the notion that early surgical intervention is associated with better outcomes in patients having nonmetastatic melanoma. Those results underscore significance of timely surgical management in optimizing patient outcomes and inform clinical decision-making in the treatment of this disease.
Keywords: Nonmetastatic melanoma, surgical timing, outcomes, meta-analysis, recurrence rates, overall survival, disease-free survival.