[Epidemiology of malignant melanoma in East Germany and West Germany]

Data are given on the incidence of the malignant melanoma in the German Democratic Republic. The latter steadily increased from 1955 to 1975, i.e., from 1.55/100,000 (male) and 1.80/100,000 (female) to 3.1/100,000 (male) and 4.3/100,000 (female). A genuine increase of the incidence can be proven by age standardization from 1968 to 1975. Between 1955 and 1975 the incidence in men and women doubled in the German Democratic Republic. The death rate from malignant melanomas is about stationary. The survival rate in men lies about 50%, that in women is higher. In the Federal Republic of Germany about 1,674 incidences in 1969, about 1,825 in 1974, and more than 2,000 incidences of malignant melanomas in 1975 were to be expected. UV radiation and chemical carcinogens influence the incidence of the malignant melanoma in our area.