Skin Cancer:Epidemiology, Disease Burden, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Approaches

Skin cancer, including both melanoma and non-melanoma, is the most common type of malignancy in the Caucasian population. Firstly, we review the evidence for the observed increase in the incidence of skin cancer over recent decades, and investigate whether this is a true increase or an artefact of greater screening and over-diagnosis. Prevention strategies are also discussed. Secondly, we discuss the complexities and challenges encountered when diagnosing and developing treatment strategies for skin cancer. Key case studies are presented that highlight the practic challenges of choosing the most appropriate treatment for patients with skin cancer. Thirdly, we consider the potential risks and benefits of increased sun exposure. However, this is discussed in terms of the possibility that the avoidance of sun exposure in order to reduce the risk of skin cancer may be less important than the reduction in all-cause mortality as a result of the potential benefits of increased exposure to the sun. Finally, we consider common questions on human papillomavirus infection

Prognostic subclassifications of T1 cutaneous melanomas based on ulceration, tumour thickness and Clark’s level of invasion : results of a population-based study from the Swedish Melanoma Register

Background  Survival and prognostic factors for thin melanomas have been studied relatively little in population-based settings. This patient group accounts for the majority of melanomas diagnosed in western countries today, and better prognostic information is needed. Objectives  The aim of this study was to use established prognostic factors such as ulceration, tumour thickness and Clark’s level of invasion for risk stratification of T1 cutaneous melanoma. Methods  From 1990 to 2008, the Swedish Melanoma Register included 97% of all melanomas diagnosed in Sweden. Altogether, 13 026 patients with T1 melanomas in clinical stage I were used for estimating melanoma-specific 10- and 15-year mortality rates. The Cox regression model was used for further survival analysis on 11 165 patients with complete data. Results  Ulceration, tumour thickness and Clark’s level of invasion all showed significant, independent, long-term prognostic information. By combining these factors the patients could be subdivided into three risk groups: a low-risk group (67·9% of T1 cases) with a 10-year melanoma-specific mortality rate of 1·5% (1·2–1·9%); an intermediate-risk group (28·6% of T1 cases) with a 10-year mortality rate of 6·1% (5·0–7·3%); and a high-risk group (3·5% of T1 cases) with a 10-year mortality rate of 15·6% (11·2–21·4%). The high- and intermediate-risk groups accounted for 66% of melanoma deaths within T1. Conclusions  Using a population-based melanoma register, and combining ulceration, tumour thickness and Clark’s level of invasion, three distinct prognostic subgroups were identified.Funding Agencies|regional cancer centre Southeast in Linkoping||</p

Low level of education is associated with later stage at diagnosis and reduced survival in cutaneous malignant melanoma: A nationwide population-based study in Sweden

Background: A worse outcome has been reported for cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) patients with low socioeconomic status. We have investigated the association between level of education, clinical stage at diagnosis (stage at diagnosis) and CMM-specific survival in Sweden. Methods: We identified 27,235 patients from the Swedish Melanoma Register diagnosed with a primary invasive CMM between 1990 and 2007 and linked data to nationwide, population-based, health and census registers with a follow-up to 2010. Results: The odds ratio (OR) of higher disease stage at diagnosis was significantly increased in lower education groups (OR stage II versus I = 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.5-1.7. OR stage III-IV versus I = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.8-2.9). The risk of dying of CMM, was significantly increased in patients with low (hazard ratio (HR) low versus high = 2.02; 95% CI = 1.80-2.26; p < 0.0001) and intermediate (HR intermediate versus high = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.20-1.51; p < 0.0001) level of education. After adjustment for age, gender, stage at diagnosis and other known prognostic factors, the HRs remained significant for low versus high (HR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.01-1.27; p = 0.04) but not for intermediate versus high (HR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.99-1.24; p = 0.08) education. The HR associated with low level of education was significantly higher among female patients, patients <55 years, patients with truncal tumours and during the first 5 years after diagnosis. Conclusion: Lower level of education is associated with reduced CMM-specific survival, which may at least partially be attributed to a more advanced stage at diagnosis. These results emphasise the need for improved early detection strategies. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved