Melanoma in Hong Kong between 1983 and 2002: a decreasing trend in incidence observed in a complex socio-political and economic setting.

The aim of this study was to examine the incidence and mortality of cutaneous melanoma (CM) in Hong Kong. The epidemiology, clinical, and pathological features of melanoma in Asians are different from those in the European population, yet there is little in the literature that describes about melanoma in Asians. Data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry from 1983 to 2002 were collected and reviewed. Population-based data were analyzed, focusing on the mortality and incidence rates over this 20-year period. The mean Hong Kong CM incidence rate between 1983 and 2002 was 0.8/100 000 for men and 0.6/100 000 for women. There was an overall decrease in the incidence of CM in Hong Kong between 1983 and 2002 (P<0.001). The crude mortality rate of melanoma varied from year-to-year in Hong Kong between 1983 and 2002, showing an overall increase within this period (P <0.001). Unlike most parts of the world, the overall incidence in Hong Kong is shown to trend downward between 1983 and 2002. Various factors including ethnic shifts within the Hong Kong population and the organization of the health care system may play a role in this observation. In addition, the mortality of melanoma increased between 1940 and 1990 in most parts of the world, but in Hong Kong, the mortality rate in the past 20 years reveals a modest upward trend. Its significance requires further investigation.