Malignant melanoma in West Virginia

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Dermatology
• Public Health

Background:

• Malignant melanoma incidence and mortality rates have shown regional variations.
• Understanding temporal and geographic trends in melanoma is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in malignant melanoma mortality and incidence in West Virginia.
• To identify demographic and geographic patterns associated with melanoma in the state.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of mortality data from 1959 to 1975.
• Analysis of new melanoma case data from a community cohort from 1969 to 1978.
• Population-adjusted mortality rates were calculated and compared between time periods and geographic regions.

Main Results:

• Malignant melanoma deaths increased significantly from 8.4/year (1959-1967) to 25.4/year (1968-1975).
• Population-adjusted mortality rose from 0.48/100,000 to 1.45/100,000 between the two periods.
• Incidence in a community cohort also showed a significant increase, and higher mortality was observed in agricultural areas compared to urban regions.

Conclusions:

• West Virginia experienced a substantial rise in malignant melanoma mortality and incidence between the late 1950s and late 1970s.
• Geographic disparities, with higher rates in southern and agricultural areas, warrant further investigation.
• Demographic factors like age at diagnosis and primary tumor location varied between genders.