9593 Background: Melanoma represents a significant malignancy in children, adolescents, and young adults. Recent trends in incidence and outcomes in this population have not been comprehensively characterized. We analyzed population-based data to evaluate temporal trends in melanoma incidence and survival among patients aged <40 years. Methods: Data from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACR) and SEER registries (representing up to 76% of U.S. children, adolescents, and young adults) were analyzed for patients aged <40 years diagnosed between 2001-2022. Age-adjusted incidence rates per 1,000,000 were calculated and standardized to the 2000 U.S. population. Five-year relative survival rates were assessed for diagnoses from 2001-2020. Annual Percent Change (APC) and Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) were calculated using Joinpoint Trend Analysis Software. Results: Melanoma incidence in patients aged <40 years demonstrated a consistent declining trend from 2001 to 2022. Incidence rates decreased from approximately 47-50 per 1,000,000 in the early 2000s to approximately 38 per 1,000,000 by 2022, representing approximately a 20% reduction over the study period. The decline was particularly notable after 2005, with a steady downward trajectory through 2022. Despite this declining incidence, 5-year relative survival rates remained consistently excellent throughout the entire study period at 95-97%, with a slight upward trend from approximately 95% in 2001 to approximately 97% in 2017-2020. Survival outcomes showed no statistically significant variation over time, remaining stable in the 95-97% range. Conclusions: This analysis reveals an encouraging 20% decline in melanoma incidence among children, adolescents, and young adults over two decades, likely reflecting the success of public health initiatives promoting sun protection, sunscreen use, and reduced indoor tanning. The sustained decrease in incidence, particularly among younger populations, suggests that prevention efforts have had measurable impact. Simultaneously, the consistently excellent 5-year relative survival rates exceeding 95% demonstrate the effectiveness of current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for melanoma in this age group. The stable survival coupled with declining incidence represents a dual public health success, with both primary prevention reducing disease burden and clinical management maintaining excellent outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of continued emphasis on melanoma prevention strategies while supporting ongoing efforts to optimize early detection and treatment protocols in pediatric and young adult populations.
Maheen et al. (Thu,) studied this question.