title: Prognosis in malignant melanoma of the skin. Significance of stage of disease, anatomical site, sex, age and period of diagnosis.
abstract: The prognosis in malignant melanoma of the skin has been studied in relation to stage, anatomical site, sex, age and period of diagnosis. A total of 2,956 cases diagnosed in Norway 1953-1971 were analyzed. The final date of follow-up was December 31, 1973. The disease is amenable to cure for localized as well as nonlocalized cases, the cure rates being about 60% for the former and 15% for the latter group. Even within the group of localized cases large deviations in prognosis were found, the survival rates varying according to anatomical site, sex and age. The interaction between sex and age in prognosis is discussed in detail. A rise in survival was observed from the period of diagnosis 1953-1963 to that of 1964-1971. Detailed analysis points to earlier diagnosis or therapeutic progress in the later study period rather than a lower degree of malignancy of registered cases.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005121:Extremities; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*