ABSTRACT
The incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing faster than any other solid tumor. In the United States, more than 62,000 new patients are diagnosed annually and about 8000 patients die each year (1). The recent publication of Cancer Incidence in Five Continents by the International Agency for Research on Cancer volume IX covers the period 1998-2002 and shows that the highest recorded incidence of cutaneous melanoma worldwide is in Queensland Australia (56/10 5 per year for men, and 41/10 5 per year for women) and is also very high in New Zealand at 35 and 31/10 5 per year, respectively, for men and women (2). In the United States, for non-Hispanic whites, these numbers are 19/10 5 and 14/10 5 per year for men and women, respectively. In Europe, incidence rates increase similarly and vary highly according to region (north-south gradient) and economic status (both north-south and west-east gradients). Incidence rates are highest in Switzerland, Austria, and the Scandinavian countries. Recent data show a steep rise in incidence in many east European countries, which reflects their rapid economic development over the last decades (3).
