CLASSIFICATION OF PATIENTS WITH MELANOMA ACCORDING TO THE BAUSSS ALGORITHM, AND VERIFICATION OF PROGNOSTIC ACCURACY COMPARED WITH SENTINEL LYMPH NODE SURVEY: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY.

• Grant number: 25/02331-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Vinicius de Lima Vazquez
• Grantee: Antonio Torrecilha Manfrinato
• Host Institution: Hospital do Câncer de Barretos. Fundação Pio XII (FP). Barretos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

: Skin cancer is divided into non-melanoma skin cancer and melanoma. Although less frequent, melanoma has higher mortality and poorer prognosis, making early diagnosis crucial for better outcomes. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been a standard method for staging melanoma for a long time, but it has significant limitations, especially across different age groups. The BAUSSS algorithm, which uses clinical and pathological variables such as Breslow thickness, age, ulceration, tumor subtype, patient sex, and melanoma location, emerges as a promising alternative to SLNB, offering a more accurate and personalized assessment without the need for invasive surgical procedures for disease progression prediction. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of the BAUSSS algorithm and in a nomogram created and validated for the Brazilian population in classifying melanoma patients and verify its prognostic accuracy compared to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Additionally, to analyze clinical and pathological characteristics identify subgroups that present better prognostic performance with these tools and with SLNB, and to perform age-stratified analyses to determine if patient age affects the prognostic accuracy of each method. Methodology: This retrospective cohort study will be based on the analysis of medical records from the Department of Surgery of Mesenchymal Tumors, Melanoma, and Sarcomas, and the Department of Prevention at the Barretos Cancer Hospital, involving patients who underwent SLNB from 2005 to 2020. Expected Results: We expect to identify differences between the predictions provided by the BAUSSS algorithm and the Brazilian nomogram compared to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in forecasting melanoma mortality and progression, particularly across different age groups where SLNB may be less precise. Conclusion: This investigation will contribute to a better understanding of the prognostic efficacy of the BAUSSS algorithm and the nomogram compared to SLNB. It may also influence future melanoma management strategies, steering them towards more personalized and potentially more effective approaches. (AU)