Biphasic Gompertzian malignant melanoma mortality rate dynamics: a manifestation of population genetic heterogeneity.
The Gompertz equation describes an exponential relationship between mortality and ageing. However, mortality in animal and human populations does not increase exponentially at older ages. Age-specific malignant melanoma mortality rate distributions in the white population of the United States from 1979 to 1989 displayed two distinct Gompertzian slopes; one between age 15 and 35 years, and a second between age 45 and 85 years. Rather than indicating a "biological' limitation of the Gompertz law, multiphasic and upper age boundaries to Gompertzian mortality rate dynamics are a mathematical requirement in genetically heterogeneous populations.
Riggs
J E
JE
West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001699:Biometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology