Melanoma skin cancer survival statistics

Trend over time

Change in melanoma skin cancer 10-year survival between the 1970s and 2010s, UK

 

As with most cancers, survival for melanoma skin cancer is improving. One-year age-standardised Open a glossary item net survival for melanoma skin cancer in men has increased from 75% during 1971-1972 to 97% during 2010-2011 in England and Wales – an absolute survival difference Open a glossary item of 22 percentage points.[1] In women, one-year survival has increased from 87% to 98% over the same time period (a difference of 11 percentage points). Part of the increase in both sexes will be due to increased awareness and earlier diagnosis of the disease as a result of public heath campaigns such as SunSmart; likewise, several studies have reported increasing proportions of thin, early stage tumours in recent years.[2-4]

Melanoma skin cancer (C43), Age-Standardised One-Year Net Survival, Adults (Aged 15-99), England and Wales, 1971-2011

Five- and ten-year survival has increased by an even greater amount than one-year survival since the early 1970s. Five-year age-standardised net survival for melanoma skin cancer in men has increased from 40% during 1971-1972 to a predicted survival of 88% during 2010-2011 in England and Wales – an absolute survival difference of 47 percentage points.[1] In women, five-year survival has increased from 61% to 92% over the same time period (a difference of 32 percentage points).

Melanoma skin cancer (C43), Age-Standardised Five-Year Net Survival, Adults (Aged 15-99), England and Wales, 1971-2011

Five-year survival for 2010-2011 is predicted using an excess hazard statistical model

Ten-year age-standardised net survival for melanoma skin cancer in men has increased from 35% during 1971-1972 to a predicted survival of 86% during 2010-2011 in England and Wales – an absolute survival difference of 51 percentage points.[1] In women, ten-year survival has increased from 55% to 92% over the same time period (a difference of 38 percentage points). Overall, 9 in 10 people diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer today are predicted to survive their disease for at least ten years.

Melanoma skin cancer (C43), Age-Standardised Ten-Year Net Survival, Adults (Aged 15-99), England and Wales, 1971-2011

Ten-year survival for 2005-2006 and 2010-2011 is predicted using an excess hazard statistical model

See also

Melanoma skin cancer incidence trends over time

Melanoma skin cancer mortality trends over time

Cancer survival statistics for common cancers in the UK

References

  1. Data were provided by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on request, 2014.
  2. MacKie RM, Bray CA, Hole DJ, et al. Incidence of and survival from malignant melanoma in Scotland: an epidemiological study. Lancet 2002; 360:587-91.
  3. Downing A, Newton-Bishop JA, Forman D. Recent trends in cutaneous malignant melanoma in the Yorkshire region of England; incidence, mortality and survival in relation to stage of disease, 1993-2003. Br J Cancer 2006; 95:91-5.
  4. Murray CS, Stockton DL, Doherty VR. Thick melanoma: the challenge persists. Br J Dermatol 2005; 152:104-9.

About this data

Data is for: England and Wales, 1971-2011, ICD-10 C43

Last reviewed:

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