Professional paper
Increasing Burden of Melanoma in Croatia
Đulija Malatestinić
Vesna Nadarević-Štefanec
Petra Šuljić
Bojan Glažar
Suzana Janković
Abstract
Melanoma consists 4–5% of all skin cancers, but it contributes to 71–80% of skin cancers deaths. It is controversial
whether worldwide increases in melanoma incidence represent a true epidemic but at the same time that dramatic increase
in incidence occur in setting of relatively stable mortality trends, observed in Croatia also. The majority of authors
accept that main risk factors for melanoma relate to environmental exposure and genetics with epidemiologic studies
linking sun exposure to melanoma development. Data were obtained from Croatian cancer register for patients diagnosed
between 1999 and 2008, for malignant melanoma of the skin (ICD-10 code C43) at national level and from 2003 to
2008, at the County level (Primorsko-goranska County). Melanoma incidence nearly doubled in males from 8.75 to
13.4/105 per year, fold in females from 9.1 at the start of observation to the end of 12.0/105 per year in Croatia. Melanoma
incidence rates were much more higher for Primorsko-goranska County with range from 10.1 to 17.5/105 per year. The
greatest increase of melanoma incidence rates was in males 60 years and over year group at diagnosis. National comparison
of variation in cancer incidence by region and age can provide basis for public health prevention. It requires the integration
of information on risk factors, incidence that could help to reduce regional inequalities in incidence and reduce
the future cancer incidence.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
72288
URI
Publication date:
25.9.2011.
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