Clinical Features Associated With Individuals at Higher Risk of Melanoma: A Population-Based Study

Importance The identification of a subgroup at higher risk of melanoma may assist in early diagnosis. Objective To characterize melanoma patients and the clinical features associated with their melanomas according to patient risk factors: many nevi, history of previous melanoma, and family history of melanoma, to assist with improving the identification and treatment of a higher-risk subgroup. Design, Setting, and Participants The Melanoma Patterns of Care study was a population-based observational study of physicians’ reported treatment of 2727 patients diagnosed with an in situ or invasive primary melanoma over a 12-month period from October 2006 to 2007 conducted in New South Wales. Our analysis of these data took place from 2015 to 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Age at diagnosis and body site of melanoma. Results Of the 2727 patients with melanoma included, 1052 (39%) were defined as higher risk owing to a family history of melanoma, multiple primary melanomas, or many nevi. Compared with patients with melanoma who were at lower risk (ie, without any of these risk factors), the higher-risk group had a younger mean age at diagnosis (62 vs 65 years, P P P P  = .003). Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that a person’s risk factor status could be used to tailor surveillance programs and education about skin self-examination.