192 people died from melanoma in Israel in 2020, and 1,675 new cases were diagnosed, according to the data released by the Health Ministry on Monday, which marks Skin Cancer Awareness Week.
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About 92% of melanoma cases in Israel are diagnosed at an early stage. Data from the National Center for Disease Control shows a significant decline in mortality rates among women with invasive melanoma of the skin between 1996 and 2020.
Skin cancer incidence and mortality rates in Israel are comparatively low worldwide, contrary to the situation a decade ago. In Israel's Arab sector, melanoma of the skin is relatively rare, with isolated cases reported each year. Due to the low incidence rates in the Arab sector, the presented data only refers to the Jewish sector.
In the vast majority of cases, melanoma appears on the skin only, and only a quarter of cases involve other tissues (brain, central nervous system, eye, etc.). The main risk factors for the disease include radiation exposure, mainly from the sun or artificial tanning devices, a history of sunburns, fair skin, family history of the disease, multiple moles, and more.
Beware of tanning beds
The Health Ministry recommends avoiding the use of tanning facilities, which have been identified by the World Health Organization as a cause of cancer.
People at high risk for the disease are advised to undergo annual skin examinations by a dermatologist. The risk of the disease can be reduced by protecting oneself from the sun, including using sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, appropriate clothing, preferring shade and minimizing exposure during times of reduced radiation - early morning or late afternoon.
In 2020, 1,675 new skin melanoma cases were diagnosed in Israel (1,012 with invasive growth and 663 with non-invasive growth). The incidence rate of skin melanoma out of all cases of invasive cancer was 4.5% among Jewish and other men, 3.9% among Jewish women, and 0.5% among Arab men and women.
Compared with a decade ago, Israel is ranked 23rd (10.3 cases per 100,000 people) out of 30 countries with the highest incidence rates of skin melanoma in the world, with Australia (36.6) and New Zealand (31.6) having the highest rates.
In terms of mortality rates from the disease, Israel has the lowest rate among the 30 countries with the highest mortality rates worldwide (1.4 deaths per 100,000 people). New Zealand (4.7) and Norway (3.2) have the highest mortality rates.
Early detection is key
Invasive skin melanoma is a growth that has spread beyond the epidermis and has the potential to metastasize. Early detection increases the chances of a cure.
Non-invasive melanoma is a growth that has not yet penetrated the epidermis. Early diagnosis of non-invasive melanoma improves the chances of a cure.
Out of the 1,012 patients diagnosed with invasive skin melanoma in 2020, 99% were Jewish and other ethnicities (998 patients, including 521 men and 477 women). In 2020, the incidence rate of invasive skin melanoma was 10.2 per 100,000 men and 9.2 per 100,000 women.
Since the mid-90s, incidence rates of invasive skin melanoma have been higher in men than women. Between 2015 and 2020, there was a significant decline of 4.5% and 4.1% annually in incidence rates among men and women, respectively.
The main incidence is in those aged 65 and above. The average age at diagnosis in 2020 was 65.7 years for men and 61.5 years for women.
Survival rates have improved over the years. Relative survival rates among those diagnosed between 2001 and 1996 were 83.7% for men and 86.3% for women and rose to 86.8% and 88.4%, respectively, for those diagnosed between 2008 and 2002.
For those diagnosed between 2015 and 2009, relative survival rates were 88.1% for men and 89.4% for women. In 2020, 192 people died from invasive skin melanoma in Israel (122 men and 70 women).
Skin melanoma led to 2.2% of all cancer deaths among men and 1.4% among women. The mortality rate per 100,000 people in 2020 was 1.9 for men and 0.9 for women. The main mortality is in those aged 70 and above. The average age at death from invasive skin melanoma was 72.2 for men and 78 for women in 2020.
Between 1996 and 2020, there was a significant decline of 1.9% annually in mortality rates from invasive skin melanoma among women while the trend remained stable among men.