Improving Quality Indicator of Melanoma Management – Change of Melanoma Mortality-to-Incidence Rate Ratio Based on a Hungarian Nationwide Retrospective Study

Abstract

IntroductionThe incidence of melanoma has been increasing in the last decades. A retrospective Hungarian epidemiological study provided real-world data on incidence and mortality rates. There have been changing trends in incidence in Hungary in the last decade and mortality decreased, shifting mortality-to-incidence rate ratios (MIR). MIR is an indicator of cancer management quality.ObjectivesOur aim is to show the changes of melanoma MIR in Hungary between 2011 and 2018 and to compare the real-world evidence-based results of our Hungarian nationwide retrospective study with other European countries.MethodsMIR is calculated from the age-specific standardized incidence and mortality rates from our study. Annual MIR values are presented for the total population and for both sexes between 2011 and 2018, along with 95% confidence intervals. Comparison with European countries are shown for 2012 and 2018 based on the GLOBOCAN database and Eurostat health care expenditure per capita data.ResultsMIR decreased by 0.035 during the study years. The decrease was same in both sexes (0.031). Male had higher MIRs in all study years. In both 2012 and 2018, Hungarian MIR in both sexes was lower than the European Union average (males: 0.192 vs. 0.212 and 0.148 vs. 0.174 respectively, women: 0.107 vs. 0.129 and 0.083 vs. 0.107 respectively).DiscussionHungarian mortality-to-incidence ratio is the lowest in Central and Eastern Europe and is close to the level of Western and Northern European countries. The results are driven by the high number of new diagnosed melanoma cases.

Significant Improvement in Melanoma Survival Over the Last Decade: A Hungarian Nationwide Study Between 2011–2019

“…Recent reports suggest that apart from differences in gender-related behavior, genetic and epigenetic aspects as well as environmental and biological factors may also play an important part in the positive prognostic significance of female sex in melanoma survival (46,47). In our earlier report, we demonstrated the Hungarian mortality-to-incidence ratios showed a decrease over the past decade in both sexes and reached the level of Western and Northern European countries, although males had higher MIRs in all study years in comparison with women (48).…”

Significant improvement in melanoma survival over the last decade: A Hungarian nationwide study between 2011 and 2019

“…Furthermore, women have been shown to have a slower rate of growth of the primary tumour and a lower risk of metastasis 40 . Recent reports suggest that apart from differences in gender‐related behaviour, genetic and epigenetic aspects as well as environmental and biological factors may also play an important part in the positive prognostic significance of female sex in melanoma survival 41 . In our earlier report, we demonstrated the Hungarian mortality‐to‐incidence ratios showed a decrease over the past decade in both sexes and reached the level of Western and Northern European countries, although males had higher MIRs in all study years in comparison with women 42 …”