BMJ  2006;332:987-988 (29 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7548.987

Editorial

Cure of cutaneous melanoma

Is only possible with earlier diagnosis

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Melanoma is a deadly but potentially curable disease. Its main cause, and the sole controllable factor, is excessive if intermittent exposure to sunlight, particularly in childhood and adolescence.^{1 2} The incidence of melanoma is rising faster than for any other cancer and is approximately doubling every decade, although survival rates are improving in developed countries (the United Kingdom, for example, has experienced a 30% improvement since the 1970s). Mortality in general increases with age, especially in men (figure).³

Numbers of deaths and age specific mortality rates by sex, malignant melanoma, United Kingdom, 2004. Reproduced with permission of Cancer Research UK (http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/melanoma/mortality/)

 

The cause for the difference in mortality between men and women may be related to primary tumour site. Melanomas of the back may drain to several lymph node basins; they are more common in men than women and their position makes them difficult for patients . . . [Full text of this article]

Royal Marsden Hospital, London SW3 6JJ
(meirion@roseway.demon.co.uk)

Royal Marsden Hospital, London SW3 6JJ

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Neal, R. D, Cannings-John, R., Hood, K., Sowden, J., Lawrence, H., Jones, C., Jones, J. (2008). Excision of malignant melanomas in North Wales: effect of location and surgeon on time to diagnosis and quality of excision. Fam Pract 25: 221-227 [Abstract] [Full text]  

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