Sex Differences in Loss in Life Expectancy in Primary Cutaneous Melanoma, a Swedish Cohort Study

Sex differences in cutaneous melanoma (CM) survival are pronounced. It is unclear how these differences impact the loss in life expectancy (LLE). A population-based cohort from the Swedish Melanoma registry was used to analyze sex differences in life expectancy (LE) and LLE following a CM diagnosis. The cohort included 12 ,893 men and 12 ,572 women aged 40 years or above diagnosed with a first invasive CM in Sweden between 2000 and 2014. The average remaining LE at CM diagnosis was 15.45 years (95% CI 15.21, 15.7) for men and 20.14 years (95% CI 19.89, 20.43) for women, and the LLE was 2.95 years (95% CI 2.70, 3.19) and 2.4 years (95% CI 2.11, 2.67), respectively. If men had the same relative survival as women, the average LE for men would instead be 17.33 years (95% CI 17.03, 17.65) and the LLE 1.07 years (95% CI 1.07, 1.38). Men lose more years due to CM than women. Baseline age, stage or location are not sufficient to explain the sex differences.