Trends in Survival and Cure Indicators of Thin and Thick Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma in Italy
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In Italy, cure indicators of cutaneous malignant melanoma according to Breslow tumour thickness have never been assessed. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the time trend in 1-year net survival (NS), 5|1-year conditional NS (CNS) and cure fraction (CF). METHODS: Data from 10 cancer registries and 13,377 patients aged 15-74 years were used. Five|1-year CNS was defined as the probability of surviving 5 years given that the patient has survived 1 year. CF was defined as the proportion of patients with the same life expectancy as the general population. One-year NS and 5|1-year CNS were contrasted between 2013-2017 and 2003-2007, and CF between 2015 and 2005. RESULTS: For lesions up to 4 mm thick, 1-year NS reached a level > 98.0%. In 2013-2017, 5|1-year CNS was above 90% for men and women with lesions up to 2.0 mm thick and increased markedly for men with lesions > 2.0-4.0 mm thick (65.1% to 82.4%) and > 4.0 mm thick (57.6% to 69.4%). The CF of patients with a melanoma ≤ 1.0 mm thick was approximately 100% in both sexes, and nearly doubled from 2005 to 2015 (28% to 54%) for men aged 55-74 years with a melanoma > 4.0 mm thick. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a melanoma ≤ 1 mm thick have the same life expectancy as the general population. The increase in the CF of men with thick lesions supports the hypothesis that novel therapies, approved in Italy since 2013, offer the possibility of cure.
Source: Cancer Medicine
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.71486
Authors: Silvia Mancini, Federica Toffolutti, Federica Zamagni, Lauro Bucchi, Emanuele Crocetti, Fabiola Giudici, Francesca Bella, Andrea Benedetto, Ettore Bidoli, Simona Carone, Giuliano Carrozzi, Giuseppe Cascone, Rossella Cavallo, Ilaria Cozzi, Fabio Falcini, Stefano Ferretti, Silvia Iacovacci, William Mantovani, Michael Mian, Maria Michiara, Maria Teresa Rocino, Tiziana Scuderi, Laura Ridolfi, Ignazio Stanganelli, Stefano Guzzinati, Luigino Dal Maso, AIRTUM Working Group
Institutions: Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico "G.Rodolico - San Marco", Azienda Unita' Sanitaria Locale Di Modena, University of Ragusa, Azienda Sanitaria Locale Salerno, ASL Roma, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale Della Romagna, University of Ferrara, Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Azienda Sanitaria dell'Alto Adige, University of Parma, Azienda Sanitaria Locale Viterbo
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,700
Awards: G3228374290, G4657196968, G6470677532
OpenAlex ID: W7119964062