Epidemiology and survival of melanoma in Jordan, 2013-2022: A registry-based study of trends and histologic patterns.

Abstract

e21542 Background: Melanoma is an aggressive skin malignancy with increasing global incidence and wide geographic variation in survival outcomes. Data describing melanoma epidemiology and survival in Middle Eastern populations remain limited, despite potential differences in ethnic background, skin phototype distribution, ultraviolet exposure patterns, and healthcare access. This study provides updated national registry-based data on malignant melanoma in Jordan, describing demographic characteristics, histologic patterns, temporal trends, and overall survival from 2013 to 2022. Methods: We conducted a retrospective registry-based study including all malignant melanoma cases recorded in Jordan between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2022, identified using ICD-10 code C43. Tumors were classified according to ICD-O-3 morphology codes (8720–8790). Extracted variables included age at diagnosis, sex, nationality, governorate of residence, year of diagnosis, histologic subtype, topography, laterality, grade, and summary stage. Descriptive statistics were summarized as frequencies and percentages, annual case counts were used to assess temporal trends, and overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: A total of 322 malignant melanoma cases were identified. Females accounted for 55.9% of cases (n = 180) and males for 44.1% (n = 142). The mean age at diagnosis was 54.9 ± 18.3 years (median 57; IQR 44.3–66.0). The most common histologic subtype was malignant melanoma, not otherwise specified (NOS; ICD-O-3 8720) (72.0%), followed by nodular melanoma (16.8%). Less frequent subtypes included spindle/epithelioid or mixed melanoma (2.8%), acral lentiginous melanoma (1.9%), superficial spreading melanoma (1.6%), lentigo maligna melanoma (0.9%), and desmoplastic melanoma (0.3%). Most cases had valid skin subsite topography codes (93.5%), while 6.5% were coded outside the standard skin subsite range. Annual case counts demonstrated an overall increasing trend, with a peak in 2021. Five-year overall survival was lower than that reported in many high-income countries worldwide. Conclusions: This national registry-based analysis demonstrates an increasing burden of melanoma in Jordan over the past decade, frequently characterized by aggressive histologic subtypes, diagnosis at older ages, and lower survival compared with global benchmarks, suggesting delayed diagnosis. These findings highlight the need for greater public awareness, earlier clinical recognition, improved access to dermatologic care, and strengthened cancer registry documentation to support prevention and early detection efforts in Jordan and similar Middle Eastern settings.