Cutaneous melanoma in the State of São Paulo: a spatial approach

BACKGROUND:Cutaneous melanoma is a skin cancer with low incidence but high mortality rates. Several factors are associated with increased risk of melanoma, such as excessive sun exposure, fair skin, and family history, among others. Little is known about the spatial distribution of this cancer in Brazil.OBJECTIVE:To identify, through the use of geostatistical tools, spatial clusters of municipalities in the state of São Paulo based on their incidence of cutaneous melanoma.METHODS:This was an ecological and exploratory study of data on new cases obtained from Fundação Oncocentro for the peri...