Stage III Melanoma Incidence and Impact of Transitioning to the 8th AJCC Staging System: A US Population-Based Study

Abstract

Aim: To estimate incidence of stage III melanoma using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging, 7th and 8th edition. Patients & methods: The SEER US cancer registry was analyzed (2010–2014). AJCC7 stages were recorded in the data; AJCC8 stages were inferred. Results: Of 106,195 melanoma patients, 7669 and 7342 had stage III melanoma by AJCC7 and AJCC8, respectively (95% overlap). Nearly 30% of patients with AJCC7 stage III melanoma were reclassified in a higher stage III group by AJCC8 versus 7% in lower stage group. Regardless of the AJCC edition, incidence of stage III melanoma has increased from 2010 to 2014 both overall and within each stage III group. Conclusion: Providing appropriate management to this growing population of high-risk patients is a priority.

Keywords::

•  incidence
• melanoma
• staging

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/fon-2018-0671

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and the study sponsor was involved in the research and manuscript preparation. A Tarhini: Consultant role with Novartis. SR Ghate, B Ndife and A Nakasato are employees of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and may own stock/stock options. R Ionescu-Ittu, S Shi, F Laliberté, R Burne and MS Duh are employees of Analysis Group Inc., which has received consultancy fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Medical writing assistance was provided by Samuel Rochette, an employee of Analysis Group, Inc.

Additional information

Funding

This study was sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and the study sponsor was involved in the research and manuscript preparation. A Tarhini: Consultant role with Novartis. SR Ghate, B Ndife and A Nakasato are employees of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and may own stock/stock options. R Ionescu-Ittu, S Shi, F Laliberté, R Burne and MS Duh are employees of Analysis Group Inc., which has received consultancy fees from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apartfrom those disclosed.Medical writing assistance was provided by Samuel Rochette, an employee of Analysis Group, Inc.