Cutaneous melanoma in Argentina: an analysis of its characteristics and regional differences.

Dora Loria,Clara Latorre,Graciela Abriata,Federico Santoro

doi:10.3332/ecancer.2020.1017

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to increase the knowledge about the characteristics of cutaneous melanoma in Argentina, their association with the risk of having Breslow ≥1 mm and mortality trends for the period 2002–2017.Patients and methodsDescriptive statistics and regression analyses were done for 10.199 cases within the Argentine Melanoma Registry in the period 2002–2018. Trends in age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) were analysed using the Join point Regression Model.ResultsCases showed lesions mainly located in males’ trunk (37%) and in females’ lower limbs (29%). The level of invasion was higher in males who also showed higher mortality. Cases from the North West and North East regions showed a major risk of Breslow >1 mm and harboured CM in lower limbs more frequently than in other regions. Nearly, 25% of tumours over 2 mm were in cases aged <50 years and 37.6% in patients ≥50 years. In the North West, North East and Patagonia, the frequency of cases in young people was higher than in older people. In 43% of cases, the melanoma subtype was not specified in the report. The number of superficial spreading melanomas, the most common histology, was nearly twice that of Nodular melanomas the following histology in importance (3,403 and 1,754, respectively). Melanoma mortality rates in all Argentine population increased in the elderly. Lower melanoma mortality rates were observed in the North West. In 2007–2017, ASMR decreased significantly in females (average 1.4% p/year) while it increased nonsignificantly in males (0.4% p/year).The tumours with the worst prognosis were associated with the elderly, males, nodular or acrolentiginous morphologies, residing somewhere other than Centro and Patagonia and with tumors located in the head/neck and legs.ConclusionThe geographical variations found for melanoma characteristics and their mortality in Argentina, makes it imperative that epidemiological research is continued to avoid generalisations and improve future preventive actions.

Highlights

IntroductionFive population cancer registries, covering nearly 13% of the total Argentine population, presented incidence data of melanoma for the period 2008–2012, but they are not representing, in a statistical way, the different geographic areas nor the different socioeconomic situations and lack of complete information on tumour stage and histology subtype
The incidence of cutaneous melanoma (CM), the most aggressive skin cancer, has been rising during the past decades in most countries with fair skinned populations with great differences across the globe [1].In Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador the incidence rates were lower than 3 per 100,000 [2, 3].Five population cancer registries, covering nearly 13% of the total Argentine population, presented incidence data of melanoma for the period 2008–2012, but they are not representing, in a statistical way, the different geographic areas nor the different socioeconomic situations and lack of complete information on tumour stage and histology subtype
The geographical variations found for melanoma characteristics and their mortality in Argentina, makes it imperative that epidemiological research is continued to avoid generalisations and improve future preventive actions

Summary

Introduction

Five population cancer registries, covering nearly 13% of the total Argentine population, presented incidence data of melanoma for the period 2008–2012, but they are not representing, in a statistical way, the different geographic areas nor the different socioeconomic situations and lack of complete information on tumour stage and histology subtype. The melanoma incidence rates in these five registries were lower than in several other American countries [4]. According to the available demographic data, the population composition of the Argentinean territory is the result of a mixture of European, Native American and Sub-Saharan African populations. Argentineans carried 94.1% of European genetic heritage in their Y-chromosomal and 78.5% in the autosomal DNA but their mitochondrial gene pool was mostly of Native American ancestry [6, 7]. African heritage varied between 0.45% and 4.4% according to markers and regions, with the exception of the North West region where a study with blood markers showed a contribution of 14% [8]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion