Sun Exposure Patterns Affect Melanoma Location but Not Prognostic Features

Objectives: Cutaneous melanoma (CMM) is an aggressive malignancy whose incidence continues to rise worldwide.Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from natural and artificial sources is a major environmental risk factor and is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.The present study aimed to evaluate the association between sun exposure patterns and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with cutaneous melanoma, focusing on tumor thickness and markers of tumor aggressiveness. Materials and methods: This retrospective cohort study included 115 patients with histologically confirmed primary cutaneous melanoma treated in our Plastic Surgery Department between January 2018 and December 2022. Demographic, clinical and histopathological data were collected from medical records and Breslow thickness was categorized as thin (2 mm) or thick (>2 mm). Statistical analysis included chisquare and Mann-Whitney U tests, followed by multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of increased tumor thickness. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Statistically significant associations were identified between several clinicopathological variables and melanoma characteristics.Sun exposure pattern was significantly associated with tumor anatomical location [(6) = 85.11, p < 0.001], with chronic exposure predominantly linked to melanomas of the posterior