Incidence, Mortality, and Trends of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer in Germany

Abstract

Increasing incidence rates (IRs) of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in white populations have been described worldwide. Cancer registry data from the Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein federal states were used to analyze incidence and mortality trends in Germany. Age-standardized rates were compared with crude rates to assess disease burden. Joinpoint regression models were used to estimate annual percentage changes and 95% confidence intervals, allowing us to assess temporal trends between 1970 and 2012. Incidence predictions until 2030 were based on age-period-cohort models and linear extrapolation techniques. In the Saarland federal state, between 1970 and 2012, NMSC age-standardized and crude IRs increased 10- to 22-fold, respectively. In Schleswig-Holstein, between 1999 and 2012 crude IRs doubled, reaching 250 cases/100,000 persons per year in 2012, with age-standardized IRs increasing 1.5-fold. During this period, NMSC mortality remained stable or decreased. For 2030, the predicted age-standardized IRs are as follows: males, 230 cases; females, 180-200 cases. The predicted crude IRs for the same year are males, 450-500 cases; females, 380-430 cases. There is a continuous long-term increase of NMSC incidence with no tendency for leveling off. By 2030, the current NMSC IR in Germany is expected to double.