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Pharmacologic Induction of Epidermal Melanin and Protection Against Sunburn in a Humanized Mouse Model
Published on: September 7, 2013
New Systematic Therapies and Trends in Cutaneous Melanoma Deaths Among US Whites, 1986-2016
Juliana Berk-Krauss1, Jennifer A Stein1, Jeffrey Weber1
1Juliana Berk-Krauss is with The State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn. Juliana Berk-Krauss, Jennifer A. Stein, and David Polsky are with The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. Jeffrey Weber is with the Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine. Jennifer A. Stein, Jeffrey Weber, and David Polsky are with The Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York. Alan C. Geller is with the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
Abstract:
Objectives. To determine the effect of new therapies and trends toward reduced mortality rates of melanoma.Methods. We reviewed melanoma incidence and mortality among Whites (the group most affected by melanoma) in 9 US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry areas that recorded data between 1986 and 2016.Results. From 1986 to 2013, overall mortality rates increased by 7.5%. Beginning in 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration approved 10 new treatments for metastatic melanoma. From 2013 to 2016, overall mortality decreased by 17.9% (annual percent change [APC] = -6.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -8.7%, -3.7%) with sharp declines among men aged 50 years or older (APC = -8.3%; 95% CI = -12.2%, -4.1%) starting in 2014. This recent, multiyear decline is the largest and most sustained improvement in melanoma mortality ever observed and is unprecedented in cancer medicine.Conclusions. The introduction of new therapies for metastatic melanoma was associated with a significant reduction in population-level mortality. Future research should focus on developing even more effective treatments, identifying biomarkers to select patients most likely to benefit, and renewing emphasis on public health approaches to reduce the number of patients with advanced disease.
Insights
New melanoma therapies approved since 2011 have significantly reduced mortality rates. This marks an unprecedented improvement in cancer medicine, particularly for older men.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Public Health
- Dermatology
Background:
- Melanoma incidence and mortality rates were tracked in White populations across 9 US regions from 1986 to 2016.
- Prior to 2011, melanoma mortality rates showed a concerning upward trend.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of novel therapeutic agents and emerging trends on melanoma-related mortality.
- To analyze changes in melanoma mortality rates in response to new treatments.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of melanoma incidence and mortality data from the US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program.
- Statistical evaluation of mortality trends before and after the approval of new melanoma treatments.
Main Results:
- Overall melanoma mortality increased by 7.5% from 1986 to 2013.
- Following FDA approval of 10 new metastatic melanoma treatments starting in 2011, mortality decreased by 17.9% between 2013 and 2016.
- A significant decline in mortality was observed in men aged 50 and older starting in 2014.
Conclusions:
- The advent of new therapies for metastatic melanoma is strongly correlated with a significant reduction in population-level mortality.
- Further research is needed to develop more effective treatments and biomarkers.
- Public health initiatives are crucial to decrease advanced melanoma diagnoses.
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