Melanoma incidence in men, women differs by age, anatomic site

Melanoma incidence rates differ between men and women by age and anatomic site in predominantly fair-skinned populations, according to a cross-sectional analysis published in JAMA Dermatology.

“The findings suggest that women have higher rates of melanoma than men in early life in all countries, men have higher rates of melanoma than women in late life in all countries, and these patterns are due to sex-specific differences in melanoma incidence at specific anatomic sites,” Catherine M. Olsen, PhD, of the Cancer Control Group at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and faculty of medicine at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and colleagues wrote.

Researchers analyzed age- and sex-specific data on incident invasive, histologically confirmed melanoma cases from cancer registries in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand from January 1982 to December 2015 and anatomic site-specific incidence data from the United States, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand and Queensland, Australia. Incidence rate ratios were calculated, and Joinpoint regression models estimated the annual percentage rate changes in incidence in each population.

Melanoma incidence rates differ between men and women by age and anatomic site in predominantly fair-skinned populations, according to a cross-sectional analysis published in JAMA Dermatology.

During a press conference at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, Michelle A. Petri, MD, PhD, noted that since supplementary vitamin D is both safe and cheap, it is recommended for every patient with lupus nephritis.

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There was a general trend of increasing male-to-female incident rate ratios for scores less than 1 in those younger than 45 years and greater than 1 in those older than 69 years. The increase in incident rate ratios in each population was associated with changes in the incidence of melanomas of the head, neck and trunk. Melanomas occurred more frequently on lower limbs in women in all populations and ages.

“The temporal patterns of melanoma incidence by sex, age and anatomic site across populations appear to be consistent with a complex interplay of innate and external factors influencing melanoma development,” the researchers wrote. “Future research should focus on finer subdivisions of anatomic site. Further insights may be gained through the molecular characterization of melanomas arising at different body sites, not only in terms of disease source, but also tumor biological characteristics and prognosis.” – by Erin T. Welsh

Disclosures: Olsen reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.