Trends in Epidemiology and Mortality of Patients With Melanoma in Germany: A Retrospective Study Using German Claims Data

Speaker(s)

Mevius A1, Müller S2, Dornig S3, Wilke T4
1Institut für Pharmakoökonomie und Arzneimittellogistik (IPAM), Wismar, MV, Germany, 2GIPAM GmbH, Wismar, MV, Germany, 3AOK PLUS, Jena, Germany, 4Institut für Pharmakoökonomie und Arzneimittellogistik (IPAM), Wismar, Germany

Presentation Documents

OBJECTIVES: Despite progress in the early detection and treatment of malignant melanoma of the skin, it remains a common cancer diagnosis, associated with a substantial mortality rate in advanced stages. This research aims to estimate the incidence/prevalence of melanoma in Germany and to describe trends in mortality in the last ten years.

METHODS: Utilizing claims data from AOK PLUS (German sickness fund with 3.5 million insured persons), melanoma cases were identified by outpatient and inpatient diagnoses (ICD-10-GM: C43). Cumulative melanoma incidence in 2012/2016/2022 and point prevalence on January 1st of the following year were assessed and extrapolated (age-/gender-standardized) to the overall German population. Standardized mortality rates for 2012/2016/2022 were evaluated in cross-sectional melanoma samples.

RESULTS: Age- and gender-standardized German melanoma incidence and prevalence in 2012/2016/2022 were 0.039%/0.044%/0.047% and 0.216%/0.276%/0.318%, respectively. Based on a German population of 83.3 million persons, this translates into 39,151 incident melanoma cases in the year 2022 and 264,894 melanoma-prevalent patients on January 1, 2023. Yearly mortality in the extrapolated prevalent GER melanoma population increased, with mortality rates of 3.3% in 2012, 3.4% in 2016, and 3.6% in 2022.

CONCLUSIONS: Melanoma incidence and prevalence estimates based on claims data are much higher than in the official German RKI (Robert Koch Institute) statistics, probably due to a certain degree of overreporting in claims data, but mainly due to missed cases in the cancer registries resulting from underreporting in outpatient and inpatient practices; reports from inpatient and outpatient oncology sites form the basis of the RKI statistics. Mortality in melanoma-prevalent patients, even if lower compared to other cancer types, slightly decreased in recent ten years. This along with the increasing incidence and prevalence of melanoma, demonstrates the high burden melanoma places on modern healthcare systems.

Code

EPH223

Topic

Epidemiology & Public Health

Disease

No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Oncology