Epidemiology of cutaneous melanoma in Germany and worldwide

Rising incidence rates of cutaneous melanoma have been observed during the last three decades. At the beginning of the 1970s 3 cases and in the 1990s 9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year were reported by the Saarland Cancer Registry in Germany. Other incidence studies from Germany in the 1990s even reported 10-12 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year, which is more likely to be the representative melanoma incidence in Western Germany. In a worldwide comparison this is a medium incidence rate as compared to clearly higher incidence rates in the United States (10-20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year) and in Australia (40-60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year). In Europe the highest incidence rates have been reported from Scandinavia (about 15 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year) and the lowest from the Mediterranean countries (about 5-7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year). Mortality rates likewise increased in Germany between 1970 and 1995 in males from 1.7 to 3.2 cases and in females from 1.6 to 2.0 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and year. In the 1990s, in Germany and in many other countries a leveling off of mortality rates was observed. 48,928 melanoma patients have been recorded by the Central Malignant Melanoma Registry from the German-speaking countries in the time period from 1983 to September 2000, and clinico-epidemiological analysis of cutaneous melanoma is based on this data material. While 2/3 of all melanoma patients in Germany were females in the 1970s, there is now a more balanced gender distribution with more than 45% of patients being males. Age distribution does not significantly change during the last three decades. Most melanomas are diagnosed in the age group between 50 and 60 years, 22% of all melanomas are diagnosed before the 40th year of age. A clear decrease of Breslow's tumor thickness was found from the beginning of the 1980s to the mid-1990s with the median thickness decreasing from 1.3 to 0.8 mm. Lower Breslow's tumor thickness at first diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma has only been reported from Australia. This development indicates improved early recognition of cutaneous melanoma which is presently the main factor for a more favorable prognosis.