Melanoma Presentations Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Cohort Study from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to routine dermatologic care and may have delayed melanoma diagnosis and management. Evidence on the post-pandemic period and on hospital-based referral cohorts remains limited. We assessed melanoma presentations before, during and after the pandemic in three skin cancer centers in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Methods

We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study of inpatients with cutaneous melanoma grouped into Phase 1 (February 2017-February 2020), Phase 2 (March 2020-March 2023), and Phase 3 (April 2023-May 2024). The primary endpoint was Breslow tumor thickness (TT) among invasive melanomas, analyzed using multivariable log-linear regression adjusted for center, age, sex, anatomic site, and histologic subtype

SUBMITTER: Gambichler T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12896566 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature