Unexpected reduction of mortality rates from melanoma in males living in central Italy

A registry-based study has been carried out in central Italy to investigate cutaneous melanoma incidence and mortality trends. The incidence of invasive (1492 cases analysed) and in situ (224 cases) cutaneous melanomas increased significantly from 1985 to 1997, in both genders. The increase of invasive tumours was mainly due to 'thin' (less than or equal to 1.00 mm) lesions, while thick ones showed stable rates. From 1985 to 1999, we evidenced a statistically significant decrease in mortality among males, the estimated annual percent change (EAPC) was -3.3%/year (P < =0.012), but this was not observed among females (EAPC = 0.2, P = 0.896). The stage at diagnosis was worse for males than females at the beginning of the analysed period, therefore the former had more possibilities for improvement than females. This may partially explain this finding since mortality rates among females were also quite low during the late 1980s. However, the stable incidence rates of the thick forms of melanoma make this finding largely unexpected, and difficult to understand assuming that in the last decade no 'clear-cut' improvements in survival have been documented as a result of new treatments in advanced melanomas. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.