Melanoma
In brief:
- Preventable deaths – Between 2011 and 2022, the survival rate for patients with stage IV melanoma has more than doubled (based on Dutch survival rates). The introduction of immunotherapies and targeted therapies against stage III and IV melanoma has reduced the number of patients dying from the disease in the first 5 years after diagnosis.
- Reducing absenteeism – Immunotherapies and targeted therapies increases the number of people employed after treatment for stage III and IV melanoma. Improved work productivity due to immunotherapies and targeted therapies against stage III and IV melanoma translates to productivity and labour income of 3.8 M working hours and €391 M, respectively.
This aggressive form of skin cancer is completely indiscriminate, affecting young and old alike.
And despite causing just 4% of skin cancer cases it is responsible for more than 80% of all skin cancer deaths. In 2020, 16,000 people in Europe died of melanoma.
The recent breakthrough of immune-and targeted therapies have revolutionised treatment and improved outcomes for some melanoma patients. Just 10 years ago, only 1–3 out of 10 stage IV patients survived 5 years after diagnosis.
Thanks to innovative treatments, in the Netherlands, 5-year survival rates for stage III and IV melanoma have increased by 22% and 120%, respectively. This means that 2,368 more patients, of the 15.7k with stage III/IV, could be alive 5 years after their diagnosis.
While innovative therapies improved the lives of many melanoma patients, high unmet need remains and #WeWontRest in our efforts to research new treatments to improve the lives of people living with cancer.