OBJECTIVES: To describe the cutaneous melanoma burden in the Bucaramanga metropolitan area in Colombia, from a population-based perspective in terms of melanoma incidence, mortality, anatomic location, morphological subtype, stage at diagnosis, and relative survival.

METHODS: This was a retrospective high-resolution population-based cohort study using the cancer registry of the Bucaramanga metropolitan area (Bucaramanga, Girón, Piedecuesta and Floridablanca). For the detailed analysis on tumor characteristics, the study population was based on melanoma cases diagnosed in the years between 2010 and 2014. Rates were expressed per 100,000 person-years.

RESULTS: A total of 113 cases of cutaneous melanomas were diagnosed, 55 in males and 58 in females. Median age (RIQ) was 67 years (5-97). The crude incidence rates of melanoma were 2.08 mortality rate 0.66. Most melanomas were localized on lower limbs (hips, legs, and feet) accounting for 42.5% of the cases, followed by trunk with 21.2%. Most cases (35.4%) were classified as melanoma not otherwise specified (NOS). Among cases with specific morphological subtype data, most were nodular melanomas (23%), acral lentiginous melanomas (18.6%), superficial spreading melanoma (9.7%), lentigo maligna melanoma (8.9%) and others (4.4%). There were inconsistencies in anatomic site versus morphological subtype. Tumor thickness information (T) was available for 67% with most cases being T1 (28%), followed by T2 (21%), T3 (8%) and T4 (10%). For N (nodular involvement) and M (metastatic status) staging, only 27% and 26% of the cases had these data respectively. Relative 5-year survival of cutaneous melanoma was 71.3%, it decreased as the T stage increased (71.9% T1 to 45.5% T4).

CONCLUSIONS: Melanoma incidence in this study population was low, but mortality was high and survival poor compared to international standards. Better processes should be implemented to improve the availability of information. It´s important to train pathologists in the correct classification of pigmented lesions and T, N and M stage reporting.