Abstract
To assess the efficiency of melanoma screening and prevention campaigns in the Auvergne region (France), cases of melanoma have been recorded since 1st June 1998. The epidemiological follow-up of melanoma was carried out using two sentinel networks; one involving the pathologists, and the other, the dermatologists of the region. Incidence was calculated using the capture–recapture method, by cross-matching the data supplied by both dermatologists and pathologists. Between June 1st 1998 and December 31st 2000, 363 cases of melanoma were recorded. The crude incidence rate of melanoma per 100,000 person-years was 17.1 for all melanomas and 14.6 for invasive melanomas. These rates of incidence were higher than the estimated national rate of France, and were close to incidences found in countries of Northern Europe. This might be explained by an increase in screening for melanoma, by more precise estimation of the incidence due to the capture–recapture method, or by geographic factors (mountainous area). An answer may be provided by following the variation in time of incidence and thickness of melanomas; the increase in the number of thin (low Breslow index) melanomas corresponding with increased screening.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte contre le Cancer (FNCLCC). [Cutaneous Melanoma: Standards, Options and Recommendations] in French. Montrouge: John Libbey Eurotext Ed, 1998.
Achten G, Andre J. [The melanoma: A few figures] in French. Ann Dermatol Venereol 1993; 120: 643–648.
Menegoz F, Cherie-Challine L. [Cancer in France: Incidence and mortality. Situation in 1995. Evolution between 1975 and 1995] in French. Paris: La Documentation Française. 1998.
INSERM 2001. National Death Register. url: http:// sc8.vesinet.inserm.fr:1080/.
Grob JJ, Richard MA. [Prevention of cutaneous cancers] in French. Rev Prat 1999; 49: 838–842.
Gerbaud L, Riguidel P, Fauquert L, Vacheron F, Vidal A, Glanddier PY. [Epidemiological survey of patients in thermal resorts], in French. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 1994; 42: 450–462.
Wittes JT, Colton T, Sidel VW. Capture-recapture methods for assessing the completeness of case ascertainment when using multiple information sources. J Chron Dis 1974; 27: 25–36.
Hook EB, Regal RR. Capture-recapture methods in epidemiology: Methods and limitations. Epidemiol Rev 1995; 17: 243–264.
Petersen CGJ. The yearly immigration of young plaice into the Limfjord from the German sea. Rep Dan Biol Stat 1896; 6: 1–48.
Sekar CC, Deming WE. On a method of estimating birth and death rates and the extend of registration. Amer Statis Assn 1949; 27: 101–115.
Hubert B, Desenclos JC. [Exhaustiveness estimation of a supervision system with the capture-recapture method. Application to the meningococcus infection supervision in France between 1989 and 1990], in French. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 1993; 41: 241–249.
Wittes J. Application of multinomial capture-recapture model to epidemiological data. J Amer Statis Assn 1974; 69: 93–97.
Michel E, Jougla E, Hatton F, Cherie Challine L. [Main indicators of mortality] in French. Paris, France: INSERM Ed, 1994.
Dennis LK. Analysis of the melanoma epidemic, both apparent and real. Arch Dermatol 1999; 135: 275–280.
Moehrle M, Garbe C. Does mountaineering increase the incidence of cutaneous melanoma? A hypothesis based on cancer registry data. Dermatology 1999; 199: 201–203.
Lipsker DM, Hedelin G, Heid E, Grosshans EM, Cribier BJ. Striking increase of thin melanomas contrasts with stable incidence of thick melanomas. Arch Dermatol 1999; 135: 1451–1456.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gerbaud, L., Lejeune, M., Abou-Samra, T. et al. Epidemiological survey of melanoma in the Auvergne region (France): Is there an increased incidence in Auvergne?. Eur J Epidemiol 18, 331–335 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023643219686
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023643219686