Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma Global Incidence Increased, Mortality Decreased
Source: Dermatology Advisor, May 2024
Despite an increasing prevalence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) worldwide, CMM-associated mortality has decreased in recent years, according to study results published in Melanoma Research.
CMM-specific mortality increased substantially in the 1990s and plateaued thereafter in most high-income countries, despite a consistently increasing incidence rate.
To evaluate updated incidence and mortality trends in CMM, investigators from the University of Milan, Italy sourced death certificates and other data from World Health Organization (WHO) databases. CMM data recorded between 1980 and 2019 were evaluated for trends, stratified by patient gender, age, and country or continent of residence. The investigators considered only younger patients aged 20 to 44 years and middle-aged adults 45 to 64 years because 90% and 80% of skin cancer-related mortality, respectively, in these groups are attributed to CMM.