Comparison of Time Trends in Skin Cancer Incidence (1973-97) in East Asia, Europe and USA, from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Vol. IV-VIII

Time trends of age-standardized rate (ASR) of melanoma of skin cancer (ICD-10: C43) and other cancer of skin (ICD-10: C44) incidence were compared among 18 selected cancer registries and ethnic/racial groups in East Asia, Europe, and the USA. Data source was the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Vol. IV–VIII (years at diagnosis: 1973–77, 1978–82, 1983–87, 1988–92 and 1993–97, respectively). World population was used for age-standardization. Figures 1 and 2 show time trends of ASR of melanoma of skin incidence for males and females, respectively. For males, all registries in East Asia (three in Japan: Miyagi, Nagasaki and Osaka, and two in China: Shanghai and Hong Kong) showed a relatively stable trend during all period, and there were not many differences in ASRs among these five registries. Registries in Europe tended to have higher ASRs than registries in East Asia and USA except for White (SEER) in the USA. All registries in Europe showed increasing tendency during all period. Two registries in North Europe (Sweden and Denmark) tended to show higher ASRs than other European registries (France: Bas-Rhin, Italy: Varese Province, England: South Thames and West Midlands). The lowest ASRs were observed in West Midlands in Europe. In the USA, White showed higher ASRs than Black (SEER) and East Asian immigrants. Japanese and Chinese immigrants showed a similar level of ASRs to those lived in their homeland. No remarkable difference was observed among those in immigrants in the USA. With respect to females, all registries showed a similar tendency to those observed in males, though Varese Province showed lower ASRs than other European registries.