Changing epidemiology and age-specific incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Lithuania: an analysis of national cancer registration data by gender and anatomical site, 1991–2015

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender-specific and anatomical site-specific incidence of cutaneous melanoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All cases of primary skin melanoma reported to the Lithuanian Cancer Registry during the period 1991–2015 were included. For the analyses, patients were categorized by sex and melanoma site. RESULTS: Overall age-standardized rate (ASR) of melanoma in the trunk increased 0.8–3.3, while in limbs the ASR increased 1.0–3.4. The highest increase in new cases per 100,000 population (in both sexes) was detected in limbs and it increased over time (from 2.01 per 100,000 in 1991 to 3.65 per 100,000 in 2015). The highest increase in the number of new cases was in limbs with ASR, with a more than 3-fold increase from 1991–2015 (1.4–4.6). A statistically significant increase was observed in mortality of skin melanoma between 1991 and 2015, with the highest annual percentage change (APC) of 5.5 in the trunks of men (95% CI: 5.2–5.9; p < 0.05) and women with APC 3.9 (95% CI: 3.5–4.4, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we found higher incidence rates of skin melanoma in females. Melanoma was more commonly diagnosed in the trunk of males and limbs of females, with the highest mortality increase in trunk melanoma in both genders.