Epidemiological survey of melanoma in the Auvergne region (France): is there an increased incidence in Auvergne?
To assess the efficiency of melanoma screening and prevention campaigns in the Auvergne region (France), cases of melanoma have been recorded since 1st June 1998. The epidemiological follow-up of melanoma was carried out using two sentinel networks; one involving the pathologists, and the other, the dermatologists of the region. Incidence was calculated using the capture-recapture method, by cross-matching the data supplied by both dermatologists and pathologists. Between June 1st 1998 and December 31st 2000, 363 cases of melanoma were recorded. The crude incidence rate of melanoma per 100,000 person-years was 17.1 for all melanomas and 14.6 for invasive melanomas. These rates of incidence were higher than the estimated national rate of France, and were close to incidences found in countries of Northern Europe. This might be explained by an increase in screening for melanoma, by more precise estimation of the incidence due to the capture-recapture method, or by geographic factors (mountainous area). An answer may be provided by following the variation in time of incidence and thickness of melanomas; the increase in the number of thin (low Breslow index) melanomas corresponding with increased screening.
Gerbaud
L
L
Epidémiologie, Economie de la Santé et Prévention, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, France. lgerbaud@chu-clermontferrand.fr
Lejeune
M L
ML
Abou-Samra
T
T
Doz
M
M
Mathey
M F
MF
D'Incan
M
M
Déchelotte
P
P
Souteyrand
P
P
Glanddier
P Y
PY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged