Melanoma of the skin (C43)

In 2009–2013, 173 new cases of melanoma of the skin were diagnosed in Indigenous Australians—an average of 35 cases per year. In 2011–2015, 25 Indigenous Australians died from melanoma of the skin—an average of 5 deaths per year.

In 2007–2014, Indigenous Australians diagnosed with melanoma of the skin had an 81% chance, on average, of surviving for five years compared with their counterparts in the Indigenous population. Non-Indigenous Australians diagnosed with melanoma of the skin had an 83% chance, on average, of surviving for five years compared with their counterparts in the non-Indigenous population.

Sex

More Indigenous males than females were diagnosed with and died from melanoma of the skin. Five-year relative survival was lower in Indigenous males than females.

Explore the data below for information on incidence (2009–2013), mortality (2011–2015) and relative survival (2007–2014) by sex and Indigenous status.

Life stage

For both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, the age-specific incidence and mortality rates for melanoma of the skin increased with each life stage.

For Indigenous Australians, five-year relative survival was consistently high across available life stages. A similar pattern was observed for non-Indigenous Australians.

Explore the data below for information on incidence (2009–2013), mortality (2011–2015) and relative survival (2007–2014) by sex, Indigenous status and life stage.

Trend

For Indigenous Australians, the age-standardised incidence and mortality rates for melanoma of the skin have varied over time. No statistically significant increasing or decreasing trend was observed in the melanoma of the skin incidence rate for Indigenous Australians from 1998 to 2013 and the mortality rate for Indigenous Australians from 1998 to 2015.

For non-Indigenous Australians, the age-standardised incidence and mortality rates for melanoma of the skin remained relatively stable. Estimated trend lines indicate a significant increasing trend in the melanoma of the skin mortality rate for non-Indigenous Australians. No statistically significant increasing or decreasing trend was observed in the melanoma of the skin incidence rate for non-Indigenous Australians from 2009 to 2013.

Data for individual years have been presented for trend figures to demonstrate the variation in rates from year to year. Estimated trend lines have been applied to figures based on a least-squares regression equation where trends were found to be statistically significant. Differences between the rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians may be related to a range of factors including differences between the two populations in the prevalence of risk and/or protective factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, access to health-care services and uptake of screening and diagnostics testing.

Explore the data below for information on incidence and mortality by sex, Indigenous status and year.

State and territory

For the jurisdictions for which data were available (see Summary or Notes section for details), the age-standardised incidence rate for melanoma of the skin ranged from 4.7 new cases per 100,000 to 27 per 100,000 for Indigenous Australians. For non-Indigenous Australians, the incidence rate ranged from 22 per 100,000 to 44 per 100,000.

For the jurisdictions for which data were available (see Summary or Notes section for details), the age-standardised mortality rate for melanoma of the skin ranged from 0.9 deaths per 100,000 to 3.4 per 100,000 for Indigenous Australians. For non-Indigenous Australians, the mortality rate ranged from 4.4 per 100,000 to 7.2 per 100,000.

Observed differences may be due to differences in population characteristics, for example, Indigenous Australians are more likely to live in remote areas of Australia than non-Indigenous people.

Explore the data below for information on incidence (2009–2013) and mortality (2011–2015) by sex, Indigenous status and state and territory.

Remoteness area

For Indigenous Australians, the age-standardised incidence rate for melanoma of the skin ranged from 1.6 per 100,000 to 16 per 100,000 across remoteness areas. The age-standardised mortality rate for melanoma of the skin ranged from 0.9 per 100,000 to 2.1 per 100,000 across remoteness areas.

For non-Indigenous Australians, the age-standardised incidence rate for melanoma of the skin ranged from 27 per 100,000 to 33 per 100,000 across remoteness areas. The age-standardised mortality rate for melanoma of the skin ranged from 3.4 per 100,000 to 6.3 per 100,000 across remoteness areas.

Explore the data below for information on incidence (2009–2013) and mortality (2011–2015) by sex, Indigenous status and remoteness area.