Increasing incidence of melanoma among young adults: an epidemiological study in Olmsted County, Minnesota

To identify the change in the incidence of cutaneous melanoma over time among young adults.

Using Rochester Epidemiology Project data, we identified patients aged 18 to 39 years who had a first lifetime diagnosis of melanoma from January 1, 1970, through December 31, 2009, in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Demographic and clinical information, including survival, was abstracted, and estimates of the incidence of melanoma and overall and disease-specific survival were generated.

From 1970 to 2009, the incidence of melanoma increased by 8-fold among young women and 4-fold among young men. Overall and disease-specific survival seemed to improve over time; hazard ratios comparing year of diagnosis with mortality were 0.92 and 0.91, respectively.

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma among young adults is rapidly increasing, especially among women. Continued close monitoring of this high-risk population is necessary.