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Melanoma of the Skin Fact Sheet

Source: National Cancer Institute: Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Cancer Fact Sheets.

It is estimated that 59,940 men and women (33,910 men and 26,030 women) will be diagnosed with and 8,110 men and women will die of melanoma of the skin in 2007¹.

The following information is based on NCI’s SEER Cancer Statistics Review²

Incidence & Mortality

SEER Incidence:

From 2000-2004, the median age at diagnosis for melanoma of the skin was 59 years of age³

Approximately 1.0% were diagnosed under age 20; 8.3% between 20 and 34; 13.5% between 35 and 44; 19.0% between 45 and 54; 18.7% between 55 and 64; 18.1% between 65 and 74; 16.0% between 75 and 84; and 5.4% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted incidence rate was 18.5 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on cases diagnosed in 2000-2004 from 17 SEER geographic areas.

US Mortality

From 2000-2004, the median age at death for melanoma of the skin was 67 years of age⁴. Approximately 0.1% died under age 20; 2.9% between 20 and 34; 7.7% between 35 and 44; 15.4% between 45 and 54; 18.5% between 55 and 64; 21.6% between 65 and 74; 23.1% between 75 and 84; and 10.7% 85+ years of age.

The age-adjusted death rate was 2.6 per 100,000 men and women per year. These rates are based on patients who died in 2000-2004 in the US.

Trends in Rates

Trends in rates can be described in many ways. Information for trends over a fixed period of time, for example 1995-2004, can be evaluated by the annual percentage change (APC). If there is a negative sign before the number, the trend is a decrease; otherwise it is an increase. If there is an asterisk after the APC then the trend was significant, that is, one believes that it is beyond chance, i.e. 95% sure, that the increase or decrease is real over the period 1995-2004. If the trend is not significant, the trend is usually reported as stable or level. Joinpoint analyses can be used over a long period of time to evaluate when changes in the trend have occurred along with the APC which shows how much the trend has changed between each of the joinpoints.

Survival & Stage

Survival rates can be calculated by different methods for different purposes. The survival rates presented here are based on the relative survival rate, which measures the survival of the cancer patients in comparison to the general population to estimate the effect of cancer. The overall 5-year relative survival rate for 1996-2003 from 17 SEER geographic areas was 91.1%. Five-year relative survival rates by race and sex were: 88.7% for white men; 93.3% for white women; 69.9% for black men; 77.4% for black women.

The stage distribution based on historic stage shows that 80% of melanoma of the skin cases are diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the primary site (localized stage); 12% are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to regional lymphnodes or directly beyond the primary site; 3% are diagnosed after the cancer has already metastasized (distant stage) and for the remaining 4% the staging information was unknown. The corresponding 5-year relative survival rates were: 98.5% for localized; 65.2% for regional; 15.3% for distant; and 77.0% for unstaged.

Lifetime Risk

Based on rates from 2002-2004, 1.72% of men and women born today will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin at some time during their lifetime. This number can also be expressed as 1 in 58 men and women will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin during their lifetime. These statistics are called the lifetime risk of developing cancer. Sometimes it is more useful to look at the probability of developing melanoma of the skin between two age groups. For example, 0.88% of men will develop melanoma of the skin between their 50th and 70th birthdays compared to 0.51% for women.

Prevalence

On January 1, 2004, in the United States there were approximately 690,021 men and women alive who had a history of melanoma of the skin -- 333,330 men and 356,691 women. This includes any person alive on January 1, 2004 who had been diagnosed with melanoma of the skin at any point prior to January 1, 2004 and includes persons with active disease and those who are cured of their disease. Prevalence can also be expressed as a percentage and it can also be calculated for a specific amount of time prior to January 1, 2004 such as disgnosed within 5 years of January 1, 2004.

References

All statistics in this report are based on SEER incidence and NCHS mortality statistics. Most can be found within:

Ries LAG, Melbert D, Krapcho M, Mariotto A, Miller BA, Feuer EJ, Clegg L, Horner MJ, Howlader N, Eisner MP, Reichman M, Edwards BK (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2004, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2004/, based on November 2006 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site, 2007.

Footnotes

¹Table I-1 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2004/results_single/sect_01_table.01.pdf)

²Melanoma of the Skin Section (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2004/results_merged/sect_16_melanoma.pdf)

³Table I-11 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2004/results_single/sect_01_table.11_2pgs.pdf)

⁴Table I-13 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2004/results_single/sect_01_table.13_2pgs.pdf)

*The APC is significantly different from zero (p<.05).

aIncidence data for Hispanics is based on NHIA and excludes cases from Alaska Native Registry and Kentucky. Hispanic death rates exclude deaths from Minnesota, New Hampshire and North Dakota.

bIncidence and mortality data for American Indians/Alaska Natives is based on the CHSDA (Contract Health Service Delivery Area) counties.

Definitions

Annual percent change (APC)

The average annual percent change over several years. The APC is used to measure trends or the change in rates over time. For information on how this is calculated, go to Trend Algortihms in the SEER*Stat Help system. The calculation involves fitting a straight line to the natural logarithm of the data when it is displayed by calendar year.

Joinpoint analyses

A statistical model for characterizing cancer trends which uses statistical criteria to determine how many times and when the trends in incidence or mortality rates have changed. The results of joinpoint are given as calendar year ranges, and the annual percent change (APC) in the rates over each period.

Survival rates

Survival examines how long after diagnosis people live. Cancer survival is measured in a number of different ways depending on the intended purpose.

Relative survival rate

A measure of net survival that is calculated by comparing observed (overall) survival with expected survival from a comparable set of people that do not have cancer to measure the excess mortality that is associated with a cancer diagnosis.

Stage distribution

Stage provides a measure of disease progression, detailing the degree to which the cancer has advanced. Two methods commonly used to determine stage are AJCC and SEER historic. The AJCC method (see Collaborative Staging Method) is more commonly used in the clinical settings, while SEER has standardized and simplified staging to ensure consistent definitions over time.

Lifetime risk

The probability of developing cancer in the course of one's lifespan. Lifetime risk may also be discussed in terms of the probability of developing or of dying from cancer. Based on cancer rates from 2002 to 2004, it was estimated that men had about a 45 percent chance of developing cancer in their lifetimes, while women had about a 38 percent chance.

Probability of developing cancer

The chance that a person will develop cancer in his/her lifetime. Prevalence The number of people who have received a diagnosis of cancer during a defined time period, and who are alive on the last day of that period. Most prevalence data in SEER is for limited duration because information on cases diagnosed before 1973 is not generally available