Tumour burden and female sex is negatively associated with health-related quality of life in melanoma patients with in-transit metastases

Background: Approximately 5% of patients with melanoma develop in-transit metastases, defined as recurrent metastases in superficial lymphatic vessels between the primary melanoma and the regional lymph node basin. Studies investigating health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with melanoma have mostly combined stage III patients without considering the potential impact specifically associated with in-transit metastases on HRQOL. The aim of this study is to describe and identify factors associated with HRQOL in patients with melanoma in-transit metastases.