Founded in 1993
  Year: 1998 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 13-18
  Original Article
  EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CUTANEOUS MELANOMA IN THE PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA
Nenad VRANJES, Marica MILADINOV- MIKOV, Borislava NIKOLIN, Vladimir Vit. BALTIC
  DOI:
  Abstract:
  Background: Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is the rarest but most virulent form of skin cancer. Incidence of, as well as mortality from CM has been increasing especially in white populations over the past 30 years. The main objective of the study was to investigate the epidemiologic patterns of CM in the province of Vojvodina.
Methods: We used a descriptive epidemiologic method to analyse incidence and mortality from CM. Melanoma mortality rates were based on data supplied by the Vojvodina Bureau of Statistics for the years 1985-1994. Melanoma incidence rates were based on Cancer registry of Vojvodina records for the years 1985 - 1994. The level of CM incidence and mortality rates with time trends during 1985 - 1994 in Vojvodina as well as the body site distribution were the main outcome measures in this study.
Results: During the observed period 493 newly diagnosed cases of CM were reported in males and 524 in females. It represents 1.29% by males (rank 17th) and 1.54% by females (rank 14th) of the total of all newly registered cancers and gives the average crude annual incidence rate of 5.03 and 5.07 per 100,000 respectively. The average age standardised incidence rate (world standard population) was 3.88 for males and 3.42 for females. At the same time a total of 259 males and 235 females died of CM. Percentage of the total of all cancer deaths were 0.98% (rank 20th) and 1.18% (rank 19th), with crude mortality rate of 2.64 and 2.27 per 100.000 respectively. Age standardised mortality rates were 2.01 for males and 1.39 for females per 100,000. The incidence rate has been changed irregularly over the observed period with the highest rate in 1987 in males (7.0 per 100,000) and in 1991 in females (6.0 per 100,000). In the period from 1985 till 1991 a clear upward tendency in incidence time trend (p< 0.05) was registered by females. However the overall linear trend in incidence in the whole observed period by females showed a decreasing tendency as result of a sharp decline in incidence after 1991. Incidence rates by males showed downward tendency. Concerning mortality, a decreasing tendency was also registered but only by men (not significantly). By women on the contrary a clear upward tendency is to be seen, although not significantly. The average age specific incidence as well as mortality rates were increasing with age, most rapidly after the age of 70. The body site distribution differs between sexes and CM is more common on the trunk in males (28.0%) and on the lower limbs in females (22.9%).
Conclusion: According to the epidemiological data from the population based cancer registry, the Province of Vojvodina is not a region with an important risk for CM. However the increase in the incidence and mortality from CM in females highlights the need for improved methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment as melanoma could become increasingly important as a public health issue. And last but not least, the very special attention should be put on encouraging the better registration practice.
  Key words: Cutaneous melanoma; Epidemiology; Cancer registry; Incidence; Mortality; Time trends
  Read full text in PDF [Full Text]
Next article

Previous article

Table of contents

Browse all Volumes

Search all Volumes
By keywords
By authors

  Search AoO for:
 

  Related articles in AoO:
 
About Journal | Editorial Board | Editorial Policy | Instructions for Authors | Open Access | Advertising | Payed issues | Article Submission Charge | Contact
Founder and owner: Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Serbia
Publisher: Oncology Institute of Vojvodina
Co-publisher: Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Online since 1997 (Abstracts only); 2000 (Abstracts and Full text)
ISSN: 0354-7310 eISSN: 1450-9520