This retrospective National Cancer Database (NCDB) study examined whether delayed surgical treatment affects margin status and long-term survival in patients with early-stage vulvar melanoma.
Delayed surgical treatment was associated with both positive resection margins and worse long-term survival outcomes in early-stage vulvar melanoma; specific hazard ratios and margin rates were reported in the full text.
Retrospective design limits causal inference; NCDB data may lack granular clinical details (e.g., tumor thickness, specific delay intervals); selection bias possible as reasons for delay are not captured.
Prompt surgical intervention should be prioritized for early-stage vulvar melanoma, as delays appear to increase the risk of positive margins and reduce survival. Clinicians should minimize time-to-surgery from diagnosis in this population.
