
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Melanoma mortality has been decelerating since the 1970s, reaching an inflection point around 2001, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
David I. Latoni, M.P.H., from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues characterized and modeled mortality trends before the era of molecular and immune therapies (1969 to 2014) in the United States and Australia in a differential time series analysis based on melanoma mortality rates. The trajectories were compared to those of 10 other cancers.
The researchers found that in both the United States and Australia, melanoma mortality rates have been decelerating significantly since the 1970s. Around 2001 and 2004, zero acceleration occurred for the United States and Australia, respectively. In both countries, male mortality rates decelerated three to four times faster than female mortality rates. Melanoma mortality followed a similar quadratic function to that of 10 other cancers, although with a later inflection point (2001 versus 1986) and broader focal width.
"The data summarized here can help dermatologists identify, diagnose, and treat suspected cases of poppers dermatitis," the authors write.
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