Cooke K R, Spears G F, Skegg D C
J Epidemiol Community Health. 1985 Mar;39(1):48-52. doi: 10.1136/jech.39.1.48.
The occurrence of moles was studied in a community survey of 872 adults, using criteria that allowed comparison with two earlier surveys. Men and women had similar numbers of moles-on average, 15 moles of diameter 2 mm or greater, and 39 moles of all sizes. The frequency of moles declined with age and varied according to body site. Comparison of the findings with those of previous surveys-in New York in about 1950 and in Sydney in about 1970-suggested that the frequency of moles has increased as malignant melanoma has become more common. Little is known about the epidemiology of moles, which may hold the key to the explanation of the rising incidence of melanoma in many countries.
在一项针对872名成年人的社区调查中，按照可与两项早期调查进行比较的标准，对痣的出现情况进行了研究。男性和女性的痣数量相近——平均而言，直径2毫米及以上的痣有15颗，各种大小的痣共有39颗。痣的出现频率随年龄增长而下降，且因身体部位而异。将这些调查结果与之前约1950年在纽约和1970年在悉尼进行的调查结果相比较，发现随着恶性黑色素瘤变得更为常见，痣的出现频率有所增加。关于痣的流行病学，人们了解甚少，而这可能是解释许多国家黑色素瘤发病率上升的关键所在。
