The association of hemoglobin/red blood distribution width with overall survival: a retrospective analysis of melanoma

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is the most lethal variant of skin cancer. In the United States, it ranks as the fifth most common cancer. Due to the aggressive course of melanoma, it is crucial to predict its prognosis. In clinical practice, a range of accessible and low-cost parameters are investigated. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between hemoglobin/red blood distribution width (HRR) at the time of diagnosis and overall survival (OS), as well as potential therapeutic prognostic markers, by analyzing patients diagnosed with melanoma.METHODS: Patients between the years 2004-2022 were included in the study retrospectively. The outcomes of survivals were analyzed. The prognostic significance of risk factors for on survival was evaluated.RESULTS: A total of 124 patients were included in the study. The rate of stages I-II disease was 81 (68.5%). The median follow-up of all patients was 19.9 months. The median OS of all patients was 79.0 months (95% CI: 49.5-108.5). The best cut-off point for HGB/RDW was calculated as 0.99 mmHg and AUC=0.635 (P=0.022, 95% CI: 0.525-0.745). The median survival of patients with HGB/RDW≤0.99 was 67.2 months (95% CI: 27.8-106.7), while the median survival of patients with HGB/RDW>0.99 was 105.7 months (95% CI: 50.9-160.6, P=0.046). An HRR≥0.99 (HR=0.12, 95% CI: 0.03-0.44, P=0.001) reduced independent mortality in OS by eightfold.CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that HRR, which has been investigated as a useful prognostic marker, is an independent prognostic indicator in melanoma.