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Abstract
Introduction. Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer with a steadily increasing incidence worldwide, including in the Northwestern Federal District (NWFD) of Russia.
Aim. To analyze trends in the incidence and mortality of cutaneous melanoma stratified by stage among residents of the NWFD over the period 2008–2023.
Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from population-based cancer registries across the NWFD (Arkhangelsk and Kaliningrad Oblasts, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Republics of Komi and Karelia, Murmansk and Pskov Oblasts, and St. Petersburg) for the years 2008–2023. A total of 16,411 patients were included (36.5% male, n = 5,992; 63.5% female, n = 10,419; median age 63 years). Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates (per 100,000 population) were calculated according to the Segi-Doll world standard (1960). Tumor staging was based on the TNM classification. Statistical analyses were performed using R (tidyverse package).
Results. The age-standardized incidence rate increased from 5.66 per 100,000 in 2008 to a peak of 7.36 in 2015, then stabilized and declined to 7.15 in 2023. Notably, there was a temporary decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, with rates falling to 5.89–6.88 per 100,000 in 2020–2021. The standardized mortality rate ranged from 2.12 to 2.32 per 100,000 before 2021, then dropped sharply to 1.44 in 2023. Early-stage diagnoses (I–II) were predominant: among women, stage I accounted for up to 50% of cases, whereas among men, stage II was most common, with a rate of 2.62 per 100,000.
Conclusion. Melanoma incidence in the NWFD rose until 2015, then stabilized, while mortality began to decline after 2021. However, these findings underscore the continued importance of preventive skin examinations, especially within targeted adult screening programs, with particular attention to men.
This study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov under the title “Survival Monitoring in Russian Cancer Registries” (SURVIMON-2023), Identifier: NCT06043947.
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