Childhood melanoma in Europe since 1978: a population-based survival study

Citation
Ems. Conti et al., Childhood melanoma in Europe since 1978: a population-based survival study, EUR J CANC, 37(6), 2001, pp. 780-784
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology,"Onconogenesis & Cancer Research
Journal title
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER
ISSN journal
09598049 → ACNP
Volume
37
Issue
6
Year of publication
2001
Pages
780 - 784
Database
ISI
SICI code
0959-8049(200104)37:6<780:CMIES1>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
The existence of the EUROCARE database now makes it possible to compare pop ulation-based survival for childhood melanoma in different European populat ions. The database contains verified information, including histological da ta, from cancer registries in 17 European countries, and as such it represe nts a particularly important source of survival information on a very rare cancer like childhood melanoma. The aim of the present paper was to describ e survival in children with melanoma (MM), by sex, age and subsite, diagnos ed during the period 1978-1989, using analysis of the data, of the European pool of cases. Five year-survival for childhood MM diagnosed in 1978-1989 in Europe, is relatively good (80%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 47-95 for boys and 78%; 95% CI 58-91 for girls). Analysis by subsite, revealed the su rvival for MM on the head and neck, legs and arms was generally higher than survival for MM on other cutaneous sites (trunk, neck and scalp). Far skin melanomas outcome for girls was better than boys, adjusting for age and su b-site. We suggest that the good survival observed in childhood MM seems to be related to early diagnosis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.