title: Ten-year audit of melanoma in a central England population.
abstract: The incidence of melanoma in the North Staffordshire region has more than doubled over the last 10 years, and nearly tripled in the "thin" melanoma group (≤ 1 mm). A retrospective audit was performed to investigate the overall management of melanoma, with a focus on thin melanomas. A total of 507 patients was identified between 1999 and 2009. The incidence of melanoma is increasing in the older age groups (> 50 years), although the thin melanomas were diagnosed at a significantly younger age than the cohort as a whole (p < 0.001). The anatomical distribution was similar in both groups. More females were affected by thin melanomas (65%) compared with all melanomas (55%). This audit provides a unique insight into the incidence and characteristics of melanoma in a Central England population. The incidence of melanoma is increasing, but more so in the thin group. Thick (> 4 mm) and intermediate (1.01-4 mm) melanomas are increasing at a slower rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospitals of North Staffordshire NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. hardwickej@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hardwicke
authors.forename: A Murray
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brunt
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rylands
authors.forename: Sukh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rayatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors