The Melanoma 'epidemic': Lessons from Prostate Cancer

Overview

Journal J Cutan Pathol

Publisher Wiley

Specialty Dermatology

Date 2012 Jan 4

PMID 22211331

Citations 11

Authors

Earl J Glusac

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The rise in malignant melanoma incidence has been termed "epidemic". Closer scrutiny of epidemiologic data suggests overdiagnosis as the true cause of the dramatic rise in melanoma incidence. In epidemiologic terms, "overdiagnosis" describes lesions that are histologically malignant but biologically benign. Overdiagnosis is not unique to melanoma screening but is prevalent in screening for cancers of other organs, including the thyroid and prostate glands.

Citing Articles

The influence of the "cancer" label on perceptions and management decisions for low-grade prostate cancer.

Berlin A, Ramotar M, Santiago A, Liu Z, Li J, Wolinsky H J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023; 115(11):1364-1373.

PMID: 37285311 PMC: 10637044. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djad108.

Revision of the Melanocytic Pathology Assessment Tool and Hierarchy for Diagnosis Classification Schema for Melanocytic Lesions: A Consensus Statement.

Barnhill R, Elder D, Piepkorn M, Knezevich S, Reisch L, Eguchi M JAMA Netw Open. 2023; 6(1):e2250613.

PMID: 36630138 PMC: 10375511. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.50613.

Cancer overdiagnosis: a challenge in the era of screening.

Dunn B, Woloshin S, Xie H, Kramer B J Natl Cancer Cent. 2022; 2(4):235-242.

PMID: 36568283 PMC: 9784987. DOI: 10.1016/j.jncc.2022.08.005.

Not Your Mother's Melanoma: Causes and Effects of Early Melanoma Diagnosis.

Sadrolashrafi K, Cotter D Dermatopathology (Basel). 2022; 9(4):368-378.

PMID: 36547217 PMC: 9777089. DOI: 10.3390/dermatopathology9040043.

Estimating Overdiagnosis of Melanoma Using Trends Among Black and White Patients in the US.

Adamson A, Suarez E, Welch H JAMA Dermatol. 2022; 158(4):426-431.

PMID: 35293957 PMC: 8928089. DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2022.0139.