Epidemiology and survival outcomes in stages II and III cutaneous melanoma: a systematic review

Management of cutaneous melanoma (CM) is continually evolving with adjuvant treatment of earlier stage disease. The aim of this review was to identify published epidemiological data for stages II–III CM. Systematic searches of Medline and Embase were conducted to identify literature reporting country/region-specific incidence, prevalence, survival or mortality outcomes in stage II and/or III CM. Screening was carried out by two independent reviewers. Of 41 publications, 14 described incidence outcomes (incidence rates per stage were only reported for US and Swedish studies), 33 reported survival or mortality outcomes and none reported prevalence data. This review summarizes relevant data from published literature and highlights an overall paucity of epidemiological data in stages II and III CM.