Melanoma Recurrence Can Be Delayed Beyond 10 Years
A single-center Swiss study of 30 patients found that female sex and younger age were linked to better survival after metastatic recurrence.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Cancer
A study published October 28 in Cancer Medicine found that in some patients, cutaneous melanoma recurrence was delayed beyond 10 years after initial diagnosis. The retrospective cohort, conducted at University Hospital of Basel in Switzerland, included 30 patients who developed metastatic recurrence at least five years after diagnosis.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that some patients with melanoma can remain disease-free for long periods before recurrence, which may inform how clinicians think about long-term follow-up. Identifying factors such as female sex and younger age that are associated with better survival may help refine understanding of prognosis.
The retrospective study of 30 patients reported a mean overall survival of 168.7 months and a mean progression-free survival of 130.4 months, with female sex associated with better survival (hazard ratio 0.055 for overall survival). The small, single-center design means these associations remain unconfirmed in larger or prospective populations.
The players
University Hospital of Basel
A major teaching hospital in Basel, Switzerland, which hosted the single-center retrospective cohort study.
Cancer Medicine
An open-access peer-reviewed oncology journal published by Wiley that featured the study.
The details
Researchers at University Hospital of Basel reviewed patients with cutaneous melanoma who developed metastatic recurrence at least five years after diagnosis, and found that 18 of the 30 were women. Recurrences were distant in 70 percent of patients and locoregional in 26.7 percent, while eight patients (27 percent) died during follow-up.
Timeline
October 28: Study published online in Cancer Medicine.
November 4: HealthDay News reported on the findings.
Health Landscape
Long-latency recurrence in melanoma has been documented in single-center retrospective cohorts, and this Basel study adds a sex-stratified survival analysis to that body of work. Its small sample and retrospective design mean it generates hypotheses rather than settling how late recurrence should be managed.
For people with a history of melanoma, the study suggests recurrence can occur many years after initial treatment, underscoring the value of ongoing follow-up with a clinician. Readers with questions about their own surveillance schedule should discuss it with their oncologist rather than rely on a single retrospective study.
The takeaway
Long-term survival after melanoma recurrence varies, and a small retrospective study suggests female sex and younger age may be associated with better outcomes. Patients should keep up with recommended follow-up care regardless of how long ago their diagnosis was.
Further reading
Explore more on Cancer research and treatment outcomes.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Healthday.
