Comparative Study Finds No Significant Melanoma Mortality Reduction From German Screening Initiative
Key Takeaways
Germany's nationwide skin cancer screening program was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in melanoma mortality compared with neighboring countries without population-based screening.
Melanoma mortality declined in Germany and control countries between 2009 and 2022, but the rate of decline did not differ significantly.
Investigators suggested further evaluation of participation rates, program implementation, and screening effectiveness.
A study of a German nationwide skin cancer screening (SCS) program showed reduced melanoma mortality compared with neighboring European countries that do not have population-based screening programs.
Germany launched its nationwide SCS program in 2008, which included adults aged 35 years and older who received a visual skin examination every two years regardless of individual risk factors. Participation was estimated at approximately 32%. Researchers evaluated melanoma mortality trends from 2009 through 2022 across 15 German federal states and nine neighboring countries using official cause-of-death statistics.
Decline in Melanoma Mortality Declined Regardless of Program
Investigators found that age-standardized melanoma mortality rates declined in all evaluated regions during the study period. Annual percentage changes (APCs) in melanoma mortality ranged from −3.8% to −0.1% in Germany and from −3.8% to −1.0% in control regions. Pooled APC estimates showed mortality declined by 1.8% annually in Germany (95% CI, −2.3% to −1.4%) and by 2.2% annually in neighboring countries (95% CI, −2.8% to −1.6%). The difference between Germany and control regions was not statistically significant (P = 0.42).
"The findings of this ecological study are in line with previous studies that failed to show a melanoma mortality benefit associated with the German SCS program," the authors wrote. "To enable a well-founded decision on the future of the program, the causes of its poor performance should be investigated."
Source
Hübner J, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2026. Doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2026.1527