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34 - Melanoma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2009

By
Tom Crosby ,
Louise Hanna  and
Dafydd Roberts
Edited by
Louise Hanna ,
Tom Crosby  and
Fergus Macbeth
Tom Crosby
Affiliation:
Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK
Louise Hanna
Affiliation:
Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK
Dafydd Roberts
Affiliation:
Consultant, Dermatologist, Singleton Hospital, Sketty, Swansea, UK
Louise Hanna
Affiliation:
Velindre Hospital, Cardiff
Tom Crosby
Affiliation:
Velindre Hospital, Cardiff
Fergus Macbeth
Affiliation:
Velindre Hospital, Cardiff
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Summary

Introduction

Melanocytes originate in the neural crest of the embryo and migrate widely during development to locations such as the basal layer of the epidermis and the uveal tract. As a result of this migration, malignant melanoma (MM) can affect sites in addition to the skin, including the central nervous system (e.g. meninges and uveal tract) and the aerodigestive and genitourinary tracts (e.g. nasopharynx, oral cavity and vagina).

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma has increased by 50% in the past two decades, although there are significant geographical variations, and it is about ten-fold higher in white than in non-white populations. Despite the rise in incidence, mortality has plateaued and even fallen in some populations, for instance in women and young men in Australia (Giles et al., 1996). During the same period, there has been a six-fold increase in melanoma in situ, suggesting improvement in earlier detection.

This chapter focuses on cutaneous and ocular melanoma.

Cutaneous melanoma

Types of cutaneous melanoma

The main clinicopathological varieties of MM are superficial spreading, nodular, acral lentiginous and lentigo maligna melanoma.

Incidence and epidemiology

Annual disease incidence in the UK is 8 in 100,000 patients. Approximately 8000 new cases are diagnosed per year in England and Wales. Cutaneous melanoma accounts for 3% of all cancers, with approximately 1800 deaths occurring annually.

There has been a 50% increase in the number of new cases diagnosed over the past four decades, although mortality has plateaued in some populations.

Type
Chapter
Information
Practical Clinical Oncology , pp. 395 - 405
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

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  • Melanoma
    • By Tom Crosby, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, Louise Hanna, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, Dafydd Roberts, Consultant, Dermatologist, Singleton Hospital, Sketty, Swansea, UK
  • Edited by Louise Hanna, Tom Crosby, Fergus Macbeth
  • Book: Practical Clinical Oncology
  • Online publication: 23 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545375.035
Available formats
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Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Melanoma
    • By Tom Crosby, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, Louise Hanna, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, Dafydd Roberts, Consultant, Dermatologist, Singleton Hospital, Sketty, Swansea, UK
  • Edited by Louise Hanna, Tom Crosby, Fergus Macbeth
  • Book: Practical Clinical Oncology
  • Online publication: 23 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545375.035
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Melanoma
    • By Tom Crosby, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, Louise Hanna, Consultant, Clinical Oncologist, Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch, Cardiff, UK, Dafydd Roberts, Consultant, Dermatologist, Singleton Hospital, Sketty, Swansea, UK
  • Edited by Louise Hanna, Tom Crosby, Fergus Macbeth
  • Book: Practical Clinical Oncology
  • Online publication: 23 December 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545375.035
Available formats
×