Global epidemiological trends in the incidence and mortality for melanoma.

Abstract

There is concern that increased surveillance is leading to the overdiagnosis of indolent melanomas that are not destined to be lethal. As overdiagnosis can only be appreciated at a population level, we analysed current and historical population trends of melanoma incidence and mortality worldwide. Epidemiological trends from GLOBOCAN data show signatures typical of overdiagnosis, with the magnitude of increased diagnoses far outpacing mortality for melanoma in most countries.