Sex related survival differences in instances of melanoma.

While data concerning melanoma survival differences between the sexes as they relate to anatomic site, stage and age is scattered throughout the literature, few single studies on one large population of patients with melanoma have specifically addressed all the confounding variables proposed to account for such sex related survival differences. Data were collected for 1,489 patients with melanoma observed at Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Females had a more favorable prognosis than males. This survival difference could not be fully explained by differences in the anatomic site of the primary, Clark level of invasion, histologic type or ulceration of the primary lesion or age at diagnosis between males and females. There is growing epidemiologic and biochemical evidence that melanoma may be affected by sex hormones.