Abstract
The Prognosis and Statistical Investigation Committee of the Japanese Skin Cancer Society conducts a periodic survey of malignant melanoma patients in Japan by sending questionnaires to about 160 selected institutions. The survey in 2006 and 2007 collected 1053 cases, and the details were as follows: male/female ratio: 520/532, age: ranging from 5 to 98 with an average of 62.1, growth pattern: ALM 51.2%/NM 21.2%/SSM 16.2%/LMM 7.9%, and TNM staging: Tis-19.5%/I-24.6%/II-26.7%/III-20.5%/IV-8.8%. We classified the collected cases with several factors and investigated the correlation with prognostic factors such as tumor thickness or lymph node involvement by using a statistical method. This analysis may be useful to ascertain the present status of melanoma and improve the treatment of this disease. [Skin Cancer (Japan) 2008; 23: 267-279]
