Melanoma and Hawaii's youth.

Abstract

Hawaii's sandy beaches, warm crystal waters, and mild climate attract tourists and residents alike to enjoy hours of outdoor activities under the sun. As frequent participants of these sun related activities, Hawaii's youth are exposed to high levels and duration of ultraviolet radiation throughout their early lives. This study aims to define occurrence trends of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Hawaii in correlation to increased childhood ultraviolet exposure. This paper addresses trends in melanoma incidence during 1979-2002 for Hawaii residents < 25 years of age. Data obtained from this review were analyzed by age group and ethnicity. Results show that although the incidence of melanoma is increasing for Hawaii residents over 25 years of age, the rate of melanoma occurrence in Hawaii's youth (< 25 years) is not increasing.