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The role of serum lactate dehydrogenase level as a prognostic indicator in resected, high risk melanoma

Dear Editor, Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) correlates with decreased survival and generally poor response to therapy in patients with stage IV melanoma, and it is part of the current (8th edition) AJCC melanoma staging system (https://cancerstaging.org/About/news/Pages/Implementation-of-AJCC8th-Edition-Cancer-Staging-System.aspx). Despite the prognostic value of LDH in stage IV disease, there are no data specifically addressing the prognostic value of LDH in patients surgically rendered disease free following curative intent resection of oligometastatic stage III and IV melanoma. The aim of this project is to assess the role of serum LDH as an independent prognostic indicator among patients with resected stage III and IV melanoma. We retrospectively analyzed 154 patients with surgically resected Stage III and Stage IV melanoma from Mayo Clinic, Rochester between January 1, 2000 and January 1, 2012 and followed up till October 15, 2017. Inclusion criteria: (a) histological confirmation of melanoma involving regional lymph nodes and/or distant sites; (b) operative and pathological report confirming clear margins after surgical resection (R0 resection); and (3) no residual melanoma based on appropriate postoperative imaging. Patients with chronic