Epidemiology of Malignant Melanoma

Interest in the etiology of malignant melanoma has increased enor- mously in the last 10 years, after it was realized that the incidence of the cutaneous form of the disease was rising. Treatment of the disease has not improved dramatically, and our best hope for curtailing the rise in mortality and morbidity from the disease appears to be primarily through early detection and, per- haps in the future, through prevention. It is thus very important for the medical community to be able to recognize individuals and groups at high risk of the disease because of either familial and con- stitutional factors and lifestyle or exposure to environmental risk factors. This book, arising from a meeting held in Vancouver in 1984, pro- vides a summary of the latest findings amo ~ Caucasian popula- tions along with perspectives on the most im, Jrtant environmental risk factors identified to date. Comparison of results from the four major analytic studies presented here also demonstrates that a num- ber of factors implicated in other common cancers are probably not related to the incidence of melanoma. These include smoking, alco- hol consumption, and for the most part, diet. The Vancouver conference was sponsored by the Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia, and was financially supported by Health and Welfare Canada (6610-1429-50), the Northern Califor- nia Cancer Program (NCCP), Miles Laboratories (Canada), Bristol Myers Laboratories (Canada), and Plough Canada Inc.