b'CDC: More Research Needed on High Melanoma Rates in AI/AN PeopleAmong American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN), melanoma rates were highest for males 55 years and older and people living in the Southern Plains and Pacific Coast regions, according to a report from the CDC. While older men were twice as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma, the ratesincreased among females from 1999 to 2019. Public health officialscalled for early detection in vulnerable cohorts.By Mary Anne DunkinATLANTANon-HispanicAmericanIndian/In addition, the researchers looked at where on the AlaskanNative(AI/AN)people havethesecond- body melanoma was located, as well as where the highest rate of melanoma in the United States af- patientsthemselveswerelocated.Theyanalyzed ter non-Hispanic white people. Yet, due in part toratesbypovertylevelinthecountyofresidence the relatively small size of the population, very fewandwhetherthecountywasrural, Townsendsaid. studies have been conducted to understand the prev- Regional and county rates were subdivided by age alence and patterns of melanoma in this group.group, sex and stage at diagnosis. A new comprehensive study by researchers at theIn all, 2151 non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska national Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNative people1,130 male, 1,021 femalereceived (CDC)andAmericanIndianCancerFoundationa diagnosis of incident melanoma during the study revealssomeconcerningtrends,pointingtoareasperiod. Rates were higher among male than female wherefurtherresearchandperhapspublichealthindividualsandforpeople55andoldercompared efforts are needed.1 to those age 15 to 39. Rates were highest for males Using the U.S. Cancer Statistics AI/AN Incidence55 years and older and people living in the Southern Analytic Database, the researchers examined regionalPlainsandPacificCoastregions,theresearchers differences in melanoma incidence rates by age, sexreported in JAMA Dermatology. The rates increased and stage at diagnosis. The database, which is linkedamong females from 1999 to 2019. with Indian Health Service administrative databases, enabled the researchers to restrict data to people whoOlder Men at Most Riskreside in the Purchased/Referred Care [PRC] DeliveryWe found that rates were highest in men who were Areasandtherebyreducedracialmisclassification,55 and older, Townsend said. Men in this age group said Julie Townsend, MS, an epidemiologist with thewere twice as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at CDCas women. Fortunately two-thirds of people were di-and lead author of the study.agnosed with local stage melanoma, and those tend Conductedoverthe1999-2019timeperiod,theto be melanomas that are easier to treat, she said. In analysis was limited to people who were at least 15a bit of good news, incidence rate decreased overall, years old and diagnosed with invasive cutaneous mel- althoughratesincreasedforregional/distantstage anoma, said Townsend. We calculated proportions;tumorsa finding that would want warrant some we produced age-adjusted incidence rates. We did itadditionalresearchtounderstand,shesaid.We by group, by sex, by age at diagnosis, she told U.S.typically dont see that in other analyses, so that was Medicine. We also looked at histological subtype. a surprise.66'