Risk factors and outcomes of cutaneous melanoma in women less than 50 years of age

BackgroundMelanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the United States, with recent reports indicating increasing incidence among young women.ObjectiveThis study sought to investigate histopathology, staging, risk factors, and outcomes of cutaneous melanoma in women younger than 50 years.MethodsAll female patients aged up to 49 years with biopsy-proven diagnosis of melanoma between 1988 and 2012 were included. Patients with a follow-up of less than 2 years were excluded.ResultsA total of 462 patients were identified, with mean age of 34.7 years. Invasive melanoma was less common in women 19 years of age or younger (P < .0008). Positive sentinel node status (P < .008), recurrence rates, metastatic disease (P < .001), and death rates (P < .008) were higher for women ages 40 to 49 years. The 41 patients with a pregnancy-associated melanoma had a significantly worse prognosis in comparison with a control group of nonpregnant patients, with a 9-fold increase in recurrence (P < .001), 7-fold increase in metastasis (P = .03) and 5-fold increase in mortality (P = .06).LimitationsThis was a retrospective study.ConclusionThe increasing incidence of melanoma for women younger than 50 years suggests that regular skin checks and self-examinations are warranted. In addition, in women given the diagnosis of melanoma during or within 1 year after childbirth, regular follow-up and monitoring for recurrence are recommended.