Abstract

The annual trends in number of deaths from malignant skin and soft tissue tumors (ICD-10, C43, C44 and C49) in Japan, were investigated on the basis of the data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare population trend survey. The number of deaths from skin cancers had decreased remarkably from 1979 on, but had increased again since 1995. The general trends of deaths from both malignant melanoma and malignant soft tissue tumors were upward. The approximate annual increased ratio of deaths from a melanoma was 2.5%, and that from soft tissue tumors 2.6%. For lowering the number of deaths, it is essential to pay attention to treatment of an early and relatively early stages of an actinic keratosis-induced squamous cell carcinoma for age 80 and older, and also of the similar stages of a melanoma and soft tissue tumors for age 40 and older.