Melanoma in new South Wales 1970-1976. Confirmation of increased incidence.

A random sample of 500 cases from a total 5611 cases collected from a survey of melanoma in New South Wales, Australia, has confirmed an incidence rise which is apparent across all degrees of severity and all histogenetic classes. It therefore can be stated that the apparent increasing incidence of melanoma in New South Wales is not due to diagnostic errors. Nor is it due to inadequate registration of early melanomas in the initial years of study. The present study concludes that the increased rate of reporting of melanoma by New South Wales pathology services represents a true rise in the incidence of melanoma in the State.