Skin cancer mortality increases for men, not women



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Men are dying at a higher rate than women of melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, announced a new global analysis.

In the last three decades, male deaths from melanoma have outnumbered female deaths in 33 countries, according to an analysis presented at the 2018 CNRI Cancer Conference in Glasgow on Sunday. Rates among women have stabilized or decreased.

The study covered 33 developed countries in Europe, North America and Australasia, which had the most reliable data.

The researchers "wanted to conduct an updated analysis of recent melanoma mortality rates around the world to try to understand these trends and determine whether new strategies for diagnosis, treatment and prevention were having an effect," said Dr. Dorothy Yang. , a young doctor at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, who led the research.

"In the last 30 years, trends in mortality (melanoma) have increased in most countries," Yang told CNN. "There is evidence that men are less likely to protect themselves from the sun or to participate in melanoma awareness and prevention campaigns."

She added that biological differences between men and women are currently being studied to determine if they also contribute to the gender disparity in melanoma deaths and emphasized that this is a study. observed and that further research was needed to explain differences in mortality rates.

Melanoma has the highest rate of skin cancer deaths, according to the newspaper, and accounted for 1.7% of all cancer diagnoses worldwide this year. Yang's team analyzed World Health Organization data on melanoma mortality rates between 1985 and 2015 and found an increase in the number of male melanoma deaths in 32 of the world's population. 33 countries included in the analysis. The researchers took into account the aging or younger populations of each country in their analyzes.

Rising in 32 countries

Australia and Slovenia recorded the highest number of melanoma deaths in both sexes for the period from 2013 to 2015. In Australia, 5.72 deaths among men were reported per 100,000 men, compared to 2.53 in women. Rates for men in Slovenia were 3.86 per 100,000 population.

Other countries, such as Slovakia and Croatia, have also experienced a large number of deaths from melanoma in men during this period.

The United Kingdom was in the middle with 2.57 out of every 100,000 men killed, compared to 1.58 among women. The United States had no data for this period.

Japan experienced the smallest increase in melanoma deaths in three years, with 0.24 men per 100,000 deaths and 0.18 women per 100,000.

The only country reporting a decrease in the number of melanoma deaths among men was the Czech Republic. There, an annual decrease of 0.7% was observed between 1985 and 2015.

Israel and the Czech Republic were the best performing countries in reducing the female mortality rate, with Israel recording a 23.4% decline and the Czech Republic, a 15.5% decrease in female deaths due to skin cancer.

Portugal experienced the highest growth of male mortality due to melanoma from 1985 to 2015, with an increase of 192.4%, followed by Greece and Ireland, with increases of 121% and 115, 5%, respectively.

Regarding melanoma deaths among women during the same period, Portugal leads with an increase of 160.7%, followed by Greece, where the number of female deaths increased by 130.6%. %, and Spain, 73.6%.

UV exposure

The main risk factor for melanoma is overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, sun exposure or the use of tanning beds, Yang explained.

Despite public health efforts to raise awareness of these risk factors, Yang said the number of cases of melanoma has increased in recent decades, especially in light-skinned areas.

Earlier this year, Australian scientists developed an experimental blood test to detect melanoma with an accuracy of 84%.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 5,990 men and 3,330 women will die of skin cancer in 2018.

"We know that nine in ten people with melanoma in the UK survive at least 10 years," said Martin Ledwick, chief nurse of Cancer Research UK, in an email to CNN. "A growing and aging population means more people are diagnosed with the disease than ever before."

Ledwick added that although this study shows that mortality rates among men have increased, further investigations are needed to determine why. "Once we find the answer, researchers could recommend targeting men with information on how to reduce their risk of skin cancer, such as tips to stay safe in the sun and to cure new moles." or imperfections, or modifications of those existing by a physician. "

"This study shows that melanoma mortality rates are stabilizing or decreasing in some countries, especially women," said Poulam Patel, Chair of the NCRI Skin Cancer Clinical Group and Professor. Clinical Oncology at the University of Nottingham. CNN. Patel, who did not participate in the research, added that the results required further examination.

"These findings also suggest that melanoma will continue to be a health problem over the next few years, and we will need to find effective strategies to accurately diagnose and successfully treat patients," Patel said.

(The-CNN-Wire and 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company, All Rights Reserved.)

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