Changing age distribution of melanoma patients: a 22-year, single-site perspective.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate possible changes in the demographics of patients with melanoma during a period of 22 years in one dermatopathology practice. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 1835 cases of in situ and invasive melanomas histologically diagnosed between 1989 and 2010 in a private dermatopathology laboratory in Norfolk, Virginia. The age and sex of patients with in situ and invasive melanomas were recorded and compared with similar data for patients from whom any histopathologic specimen was received during the same interval. These data were then compared with those in the national Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry between 1989 and 2009. RESULTS: The number of melanomas diagnosed in the laboratory increased during the 22 study years, but the proportion of submitted specimens diagnosed as melanoma remained somewhat stable. Patient ages ranged from the teens to the ninth decade of life. The proportion of melanomas in the in situ stage gradually increased. Mean patient age rose from 52.4 years in 1989 to 60.7 years in 2010. Men and women aged 60 years and older made up an increasing proportion of melanoma cases. There also was a relative increase in the proportion of women in the 40- to 50-year-old age group and a slight increase among those aged 20 to 30 years, particularly for invasive lesions. In general, the trends were similar for in situ and invasive melanomas. Our data were consistent with the SEER data in showing a trend for decreasing proportion of melanomas in younger individuals, with a corresponding increase in the middle-age and older adult populations. Some differences between the two datasets emerged for men aged 70 to 80, women aged 60 to 70, and all patients aged 70 to 80. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing proportion of melanomas were diagnosed in older individuals. There also was a relative increase in women aged 40 to 50 years and a lesser increase in those aged 20 to 30 years. Our findings were consistent with the national trends observed in the SEER dataset.

Target lesions and other paintball injuries.

Paintball is a popular combat game, with more than 5 million participants per year. As it has increased in popularity, the incidence of paintball-related injuries also has increased. The most common injuries are classic, benign skin lesions that are easily recognized if one is aware of them. Devastating eye injuries also may occur if participants do not wear face masks. Other reported injuries include musculoskeletal injuries, solid organ injuries, and vascular pseudoaneurysms. Rarely, paintball-related deaths have been reported. This article is the first to review the full spectrum of paintball injuries; in addition, the article emphasizes the importance of encouraging participants to adhere to appropriate safety measures, particularly wearing an appropriate face mask at all times during the game.

A follow-up survey of the integrity of the dermatology National Resident Matching Program.

BACKGROUND: Our group's 2009 study of the integrity of the dermatology match revealed that some dermatology program directors violated National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) policy during their communications with applicants. Our group's article concluded with recommendations to change this behavior. OBJECTIVE: We repeated a survey of dermatology applicants to understand if dermatology program personnel behavior has changed since our group's 2009 study of the dermatology match. METHODS: We surveyed 2011 applicants to Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. The survey was anonymous and available online. RESULTS: Of applicants, 14% were asked to reveal how they intended to rank a program before match day. Of applicants, 32% felt pressured to reveal how they intended to rank programs. Of applicants, 90% were asked about interviews at other programs. Of applicants, 44% were asked about their marital status and 19% were asked if they had children or intended to have children. LIMITATIONS: The response rate for applicants was 53%. CONCLUSION: Although our previous study increased knowledge about the problems within the dermatology match, dermatology program personnel continue to violate NRMP policy. The most widespread violations are asking applicants where they will interview, asking applicants if they are married, and pressuring applicants to reveal how they intend to rank programs. We continue to recommend that programs avoid postinterview contact, and recommend that the NRMP create training videos for applicants and interviewers.

The integrity of the dermatology National Resident Matching Program: results of a national study.

BACKGROUND: National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) policy outlines the conduct expected by both program directors and residency applicants. However, recent studies and personal experiences have introduced the possibility that NRMP policy is violated during the residency application process. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the communications that occur between dermatology applicants and dermatology programs during the residency application process. METHODS: From April to July 2009, we surveyed 2009 Stanford dermatology applicants, current US dermatology residents, and US dermatology program directors. The survey was anonymous and available online. The main outcome measures were the frequency and incidence of dermatology NRMP policy violations. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent of Stanford applicants and 19% of US dermatology residents felt pressured to reveal to programs how they ranked them before match day. Seventeen percent of Stanford applicants and 14% of US dermatology residents witnessed behavior that made them feel uncomfortable or that they thought was a possible ethical infraction of NRMP policy. LIMITATIONS: Response rates were as follows: 43% of Stanford applicants, 46% of residents, and 61% of program directors. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that some dermatology program directors violate NRMP policy during their communications with applicants. The most widespread violation is pressuring applicants into revealing how they intend to rank programs. Other violations include apparent sexual discrimination and reserving NRMP positions for preselected applicants. Additional studies should be done in order to determine the incidence of dermatology applicants violating NRMP policy.