Age at Melanoma Diagnosis Varies by Sex, Anatomic Site, and Tumor Thickness
Source: Dermatology Advisor, January 2025
Significant differences exist in the mean age at diagnosis of invasive melanoma between men and women and are influenced by anatomic site and Breslow thickness, according to study results published in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Researchers conducted a registry-based study to examine the mean age at diagnosis of invasive melanoma by sex in predominantly European ancestry populations, specifically focusing on White patients in the United States (US) and patients in Queensland, Australia. The researchers analyzed case listings of all invasive cutaneous melanoma diagnoses between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2018 in adults aged 20 years or older. Data for the US population were sourced from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program, while data for the Queensland population were obtained from the Queensland Cancer Registry.
In both patient populations, head/neck melanomas were diagnosed at the highest mean age (US, 63.9 years; Queensland, 61.9 years) overall, while lower limb melanomas were diagnosed at the youngest mean age (US, 54.5 years; Queensland, 57.0 years) overall. Across all sites, men were consistently older than women at diagnosis for both patient populations, with the largest mean age difference observed for trunk melanomas (US, 8.4 years; 95% CI, 8.1-8.7; and Queensland, 7.0 years; 95% CI, 6.6-7.5; both P <.001) and the smallest for lower limb melanomas (US, 3.3 years; 95% CI, 2.9-3.8; and Queensland, 2.8 years; 95% CI, 2.3-3.4; both P <.001).