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Skin Cancer survival statistics

This page presents malignant melanoma survival statistics including five-year survival rates, survival by tumour thickness and age and sex.

Over the last twenty-five years, survival from malignant melanoma has continually improved as Figure 3.1 shows for England and Wales.1,2

Malignant melanoma - Five-year survival rates

The latest estimates of five-year relative survival for patients diagnosed in 2000-01 is 78% for men and 91% for women. Survival rates are even higher in Scotland, with a 5 year relative rate of 85% for men diagnosed in 1997-2001 and 94% for women.3 Rates are consistently higher for women than men.

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Malignant melanoma - Five-year survival rates by tumour thickness

The most powerful prognostic factor for melanoma patients is the thickness of the tumour with highest survival for the thinnest tumours (Figure 3.2).4

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Malignant melanoma - Five-year survival rates by age and sex

Younger patients tend to have higher survival rates than older patients as shown in Figure 3.3 for England and Wales.

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Substantial differences in survival between deprivation groups have also been recorded: for patients diagnosed in 1986-90 in England and Wales, five-year survival was 8% higher in the most affluent compared to the least affluent groups. 1

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References

1. Coleman, M., P. Babb, and P. Damiecki, Cancer Survival Trends in England and Wales, 1971-1995: Deprivation and NHS Region. 1999: TSO.
2. Coleman, M.P., et al. Trends and socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival in England and Wales up to 2001. Br J Cancer, 2004. 90(7): p. 1367-73
3. ISD Online. Cancer Incidence and Mortality data. Accessed 2005
4. MacKie, R.M., et al. Incidence of and survival from malignant melanoma in Scotland: an epidemiological study. Lancet, 2002. 360(9333): p. 587-91

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