Over the past 12 months, Italians have neglected the prevention of melanoma, the most aggressive of skin cancers, postponing or canceling many checkups and tests. There are 7 out of 10 Italians who have changed their attitude towards health following the pandemic. 52% decided to postpone some clinical visits and almost 80% did not consider it so important to schedule a visit for the mapping of the moles.
A worrying phenomenon given that melanoma is the cancer for which in recent years there has been the greatest increase in diagnoses, + 20% compared to 2019, and that prevention is the main tool to defeat this disease.
Cutaneous melanoma is the most dangerous skin cancer affecting an average young population compared to most other solid neoplasms. In the population under 50 years of age it is the second most frequent cancer in men (after that of the testicle) and the third most frequent in women (after those of the breast and thyroid).
In Italy, the incidence of melanoma has increased significantly in the last ten years: for 2020, 14,863 new cases have been estimated (+ 20% compared to 2019), of which 8,100 for men and 6,700 for women. In Italy today there are about 170,000 people (80,069 men and 89,831 women) with a previous diagnosis of melanoma. The risk of onset of cutaneous melanoma is linked to phenotypic, environmental and genetic factors. The incidence in the North and Central Italy is twice as frequent as in the South in both men and women.
The 2nd edition of the “Italians and melanoma” Observatory, a survey conducted by Doxapharma and promoted by Novartis to investigate prevention habits, highlights such as the share of Italians who claim to know this tumor well, as well as that of those who consider early diagnosis essential to increase the chances of recovery, have been reduced by 10 percentage points in just 12 months. More generally, among those who claim to be more sensitive to skin health, the habit of regularly undergoing checkups is not widespread, with a strong gender difference and a high percentage of men who do not know or practice any form of prevention.
Little attention, therefore, to screening for moles: 43% of Italians declare that they have never done it, but even among those who were used to checking themselves periodically, the frequency has decreased. The slowdown in melanoma prevention activities caused by the pandemic has been very significant: only 7% have planned a control of the moles in the coming months.
To bring attention to melanoma and the importance of secondary prevention, the Novartis campaign “Beyond the skin – Prevention at the center” starts with a program full of activities to provide information and useful tools to learn about and prevent melanoma.
“Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer linked to the transformation of melanocytes, responsible for skin color and tan, on apparently healthy skin or the modification of a pre-existing mole. We know that one of the main risk factors is exposure to sunlight and sunburn, especially at a young age “, said Professor Ignazio Stanganelli, Director of the Clinical-Experimental Center of Oncodermatology – Skin Cancer Unit of the Cancer Institute of the Romagna (IRST) IRCCS, Associate Professor of the University of Parma and President of the Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI). “It is important to increase knowledge of this cancer because, although research in recent years has given us new effective and targeted tools, prevention remains the most powerful weapon we have”.
“The survey highlights the reduction in the use of dermatological checks and also how the time elapsed between one visit and another has increased. Of concern is the low perception of the importance of preventing skin cancers, in particular melanoma. The pandemic has upset some of our habits: we must return to worry about our health at 360 ° and take care of our skin through periodic checks “, explained Francesco Cusano, UOC Director of dermatology at the AO San Pio-PO Gaetano Rummo, of Benevento, and President of the Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, Italian Hospital and Public Health (ADOI).
The campaign “Beyond the skin – Prevention at the center” wants to bring attention back to this aspect and allow citizens to learn more thanks to a rich program of activities with information and useful tools to know and prevent melanoma and the possibility to interact with experts and patient associations, possibility to ask dermatologists and oncologists questions through the Facebook page @OltreLaPelleMelanoma, a community that has been active for over a year, and a dedicated page within the Allies for Health portal (https: //www.alleatiperlasalute.it/oltre-la-pelle).
“It is no longer time to postpone, it is time to put prevention back at the heart of our clinical practice. People at risk of developing melanoma are those with fair skin and green / blue eyes, many moles, and a family history of melanoma and are also those who need to undergo more regular clinical checkups, even if checking for moles should become a healthy habit. for everyone”, said Professor Ketty Peris, Full Professor of Dermatology, UOC Director of Dermatology, Director of the School of Specialization in Dermatology and Venereology at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart – Agostino Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS Rome and President of the Italian Society of Dermatology – SIDeMaST.
It remains important to contact your dermatologist or specialist centers in various Italian cities because prevention can really make a difference: if diagnosed in its early stages, in fact, melanoma can often have a favorable prognosis and require only surgical removal. On the other hand, its management becomes more complex when the diagnosis occurs at a more advanced stage, despite the therapeutic options have increased and improved compared to a few years ago. Fundamental to complete a correct diagnosis is also the determination of gene mutations such as that of BRAF which is present in about half of patients with melanoma and which can be crucial for the choice of a targeted therapy (target therapy).
“In the field of melanoma, target therapy has revolutionized the management of the disease, but Novartis’ commitment to re-imagining medicine also and above all involves supporting prevention. This is why we are proud to launch this awareness campaign together with Patient Associations and Scientific Societies ”, concluded Luigi Boano, General Manager of Novartis Oncology Italy.
The campaign is promoted by Novartis with the sponsorship of: Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI), Italian Society of Medical, Surgical, Aesthetic Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (SIDeMaST), Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, Italian Hospital and Public Health (ADOI), Association Italian Melanoma Patients (AiMa.Me.), Melanoma Italia Onlus (MiO), Italian Melanoma Patients Association (APAiM), Emme Rouge Onlus.
The Doxa survey examined a representative sample of the Italian population (1,002 individuals – men and women aged 25-65 resident throughout the national territory – period: March 2021).