Declining Skin Cancer Rates Among Young Adults in Sweden: Study

A recent study led by Hildur Helgadottir from Karolinska Institutet finds a decline in malignant melanoma rates among Swedes under 50. Increased sun protection awareness, decreased sunbed access, and more indoor activities are suggested factors. However, melanoma incidences among those over 50 continue to rise.

A recent study suggests a decline in malignant melanoma, or skin cancer, rates in Sweden for individuals under 50. First author Hildur Helgadottir, a senior consultant and associate professor of oncology at the Karolinska Institutet, noted a trend break around 2015 where incidence rates began to fall for younger adults.

Researchers analyzed data from the Swedish Melanoma Registry, comparing various age groups over time. Findings indicate that while new-onset melanoma incidences for those over 50 continue to rise, they started to decline around 2015 for younger age groups. Sweden is reportedly the first European country to observe this decline.

On the mortality front, rates have turned downward for individuals up to 59 years old, but not for those over 60. Helgadottir attributes the decrease in mortality among younger groups to lower incidence rates and new oncological drugs. She pointed out that rising incidences among the elderly keep their mortality rates high. The decreased risk is partially credited to increased sun protection awareness, reduced sunbed access, more indoor activities, and greater immigrant populations with darker pigmentation. Helgadottir emphasized the need for continued sun protection to sustain this trend.

(With inputs from agencies.)