2023-10-10 22:02:42
Berlin (ots/PRNewswire) – Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) causes more deaths worldwide than melanoma, the more serious form of skin cancer. This emerges from a new study presented today at the EADV Congress 2023.
Researchers also believe that NMSC is underreported and that the true impact of this disease may be even higher than estimated.
Professor Thierry Passeron, lead author of the study, explains: “Although NMSC is less likely to be fatal than malignant melanoma, its prevalence is significantly higher. In 2020, NMSC accounted for 78% of all skin cancer cases and resulted in death in more than 63,700 cases. In contrast, melanoma was the cause of an estimated 57,000 deaths that same year. The significantly higher incidence of NMSC has therefore led to a more significant overall effect.”
Professor Passeron added: “As alarming as these figures are, they may actually be underestimated. NMSC is often under-reported in cancer registries, making it difficult to understand the true magnitude.”
Researchers also identified specific populations at higher risk of developing it, including people who work outdoors, organ transplant recipients and those suffering from the skin disease xeroderma pigmentosum.
The study, which used data from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, found a high incidence of skin cancer in fair-skinned and older populations from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and Italy. However, even countries with a high proportion of dark phenotypes were not immune to the risk of death from skin cancer.
In 2020, nearly 1.2 million NMSC cases were reported worldwide, compared to 324,635 cases of melanoma. Most skin cancer cases are non-melanoma skin cancer. This is a group of cancers that develop slowly in the upper layers of the skin, including the common types basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Professor Passeron comments: “We need to get the information out to the public that not only melanoma can be deadly, but also NMSC. It is crucial to note that individuals with melanin-rich skin are also at risk of dying from skin cancer. It is necessary to implement effective strategies to reduce the number of deaths from all types of skin cancer.”
“We must do more to ensure we stop the progression of this disease as early as possible to save lives.”
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