BMJ  2005;331:698 (24 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7518.698

Letter

Melanoma incidence has risen in Europe

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Welch et al say that the increased incidence of cutaneous melanoma is a result of overdiagnosis because of increased diagnostic scrutiny, rather than an increase in the true occurrence.¹ They observed that incidence rates of melanoma among American citizens aged 65 and older were strongly correlated with biopsy rates and that mortality from melanoma remained stable.

We wish to comment on this from a European perspective. Although increased biopsy rates have undoubtedly emerged and contributed to increased detection of melanomas, there are indications, at least in Europe, that part of the increase in melanoma incidence is true. Mortality due to melanoma in Europe was not stable, pointing to real increases in the incidence of melanoma.

In many European populations death rates from melanoma have been, at least up to 1997 and in the Netherlands also up to 2002 (figure), continuously and significantly increasing over time in . . . [Full text of this article]

e.devries@erasmusmc.nl
Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, the Netherlands

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