Skin melanoma

Melanomas primarly affect the caucasian population. The annual incidence of this tumor white is increasing at a rate of 5%, and even 30% in countries near the equator.

Although the etiopathogenical factors of melanoma are not still fully understood, solar ultraviolet radiations play a major role among the causes of this tumor.

The occurrence of melanoma is directly connected to the  skin type (phototype).

A number of epidemiological studies reported a clear correlation between acute-periodical sun exposures and the risk of developing melanoma.

This association is different from that observed for non-melanoma skin tumors, which are connected to a chronic sun exposure.

A higher rate of melanomas are found among those who suffered sun bursts during their childhood.

“The melanoma epidemic”

Mortality due to melanomas isconsiderably increasing worldwide.

A even more dramatic fact is its increasing incidence; a phenomenon referred as “Melanoma epidemic”.

With an incidence of almost 13 cases in 100.000 individuals, melanoma is ranked as the seventh  most frequent human malignant tumor.

This tumor is found to be the most frequent among women aged 25 to 29, and it is ranked at second place after breast cancer in women aged 30 to 34.

Recent data, provided by the American Academy of Dermatology, showed that 32.000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed every year. In Italy 2/3 of total deaths for skin tumors are due to melanoma.