Sumir Chawla, Louise Fearfield
This eight-year retrospective cohort study of 285 patients with primary cutaneous malignant melanoma compared diagnostic pathways and oncological outcomes, demonstrating significantly lower mortality in patients diagnosed via teledermatology versus face-to-face appointments (5% vs. 23%; adjusted OR 8.1; p = 0.00009), despite comparable clinicopathological features. Sentinel lymph node biopsy positivity was independently associated with significantly higher odds of mortality (adjusted OR 13.9; p = 0.02), confirming its continued prognostic value in guiding adjuvant therapy selection.