Malignant melanoma in the first three decades of life: A report from the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program

7557 Background: Melanoma during the first three decades of life is rare, and small numbers of patients have precluded meaningful comparisons in children, adolescents and young adults. Methods: Using the SEER database, we investigated the incidence, clinical presentation, and outcome of melanoma in the first three decades of life. Results: The estimated incidence of melanoma in the year 2000 per million individuals increased with age and was projected to be projected to be 4.0 for 10–14yr olds (y/o), 15.5 for 15–19y/o, 44.4 for 20–24y/o, and 73.8 for 25–29y/o. Projecting prior trends to the year 2000, this equates to 114 new cases/yr among those < 15yr and 2586 cases/yr among those 15–29 yr. Melanoma accounted for < 3 % of all cancers in 0–14 yr olds, for 7.1% of all cancers in the 15–19yr age group, and for over 12% of all cancers in the 20–30-yr age group. From 1988–1999, the distribution of melanoma according to stage was as follows: < 20yr of age: in situ (n=99[number of cases];23%[% of total group]),...