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Juvenile melanomas: Western Australian Melanoma Advisory Service experience
Author(s) -
Xu Jie Xin,
Koek Sharnice,
Lee Samantha,
Hanikeri Mark,
Lee Mark,
Beer Trevor,
Saunders Christobel
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
australasian journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.67
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1440-0960
pISSN - 0004-8380
DOI - 10.1111/ajd.12661
Subject(s) - medicine , melanoma , advisory committee , service (business) , dermatology , juvenile , cancer research , management , marketing , business , biology , economics , genetics
Background/Objectives Juvenile melanoma (before 20 years of age) is a rare condition with poorly defined risk factors. We describe features of juvenile melanoma in Western Australia over the last two decades. Method A retrospective review of juvenile melanomas was conducted from prospectively maintained databases, reviewed for patients’ characteristics, clinical information, histology, treatment, recurrence and survival data. Results Altogether 95 cases of juvenile melanoma were reported to the Western Australian Cancer Registry between 2000 and 2013. Of these, 27 patients were referred to the Western Australian Melanoma Advisory Service. Over 72% were aged between 13 and 19 years. The most common site for primary melanoma was the head and neck (31.8%). Eight patients (36.4%) had a pre‐existing naevus, 13.6% reported 1–5 blistering sunburns in the past and 59.1% had a Fitzpatrick skin grade of 3 or less. Most (88%) were diagnosed with a primary invasive lesion at presentation. Superficial spreading melanomas predominated (27.3%). All but one patient had localised disease at presentation, with six patients undergoing further treatment, including chemotherapy and neck dissection for metastases. At the time of review, two patients had died, due to stroke and metastatic disease. Conclusions Juvenile melanoma remains a rarity in Western Australia despite a very high incidence of adult melanoma. Unlike in adults, no definitive risk factors have been established. A significant proportion of this cohort had a pre‐existing naevus and while most melanomas occurred in sun‐exposed areas in light‐skinned individuals the association between sunburn and melanoma was not strong.