The Special Issue “Current Molecular Research on Skin Diseases” published in “Biomedicines” investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the incidence and thickness of cutaneous melanoma in Belgium. Demaerel and colleagues utilized clinical data from 2017 to 2021.

The study reviewed all pathology protocols related to cutaneous melanoma from 2017 to 2021, analyzing a total of 16,640 tissue samples. The study identified a 1% decrease in melanoma diagnoses in 2020, attributed to a diagnostic deficit during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in 2021, there was an 8% increase in melanoma diagnoses, mainly involving thin melanomas. The study estimated that approximately 210 melanoma diagnoses were missed in 2020, with around 325 diagnoses pending over 2020 and 2021. These findings underscore the critical need for resilient healthcare systems that can sustain cancer diagnostics and treatments during global health crises.

The full article is available via https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/6/1645