The Effect of Metastatic Site and Decade of Diagnosis on the Individual Burden of Metastatic Melanoma: Contemporary Estimates of Average Years of Life Lost

OBJECTIVES: Metastatic melanoma (MM) is a leading cause of years of life lost due to malignancy. This study aimed to identify the average years of life lost (AYLL) in MM patients. METHODS: MM patients were identified from a prospectively maintained database, and a linear model predicting AYLL was developed. RESULTS: Between 1970 and 1999, 4,774 patients diagnosed with MM died. The AYLL was 23.2 years. AYLL remained stable across three decades. CONCLUSIONS: AYLL for MM is greater than 20 years, and has not improved. This burden underscores the need for continued research and access to funding for this disease.