Un article tagués avec « Infectious Diseases »

Malignant Conditions Represent Only 5% of Dermatological Patients

21 mai 2025 · 6 minutes de lecture

Dermatology encompasses a broad spectrum of diseases, yet there remains a disproportionate focus on malignant conditions such as melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. This narrow approach overlooks the significant global burden of other dermatological conditions, which vastly outnumber malignant diseases.

Melanoma is a very important disease to consider. No one is denying that. It is a malignant disease with a high mortality rate. However, understanding the actual prevalence of dermatological conditions is crucial.

Actual Prevalence of Dermatological Conditions

Although malignancies are often highlighted in dermatology, they represent only a small fraction of the total dermatological conditions. The following pie chart illustrates the distribution of various dermatological diseases:

Let's break down these categories to understand their significance and the need for comprehensive coverage in dermatology.

Infectious Diseases (57%)

Infectious skin diseases represent the largest category globally, comprising approximately 57% of dermatological conditions. Fungal infections alone constitute around 34%, bacterial infections around 23%, and viral infections like herpes zoster and genital warts contribute significantly as well¹.

Example output of a report generated by Legit.Health

Legit.Health addresses this need by providing comprehensive coverage for infectious skin diseases, including viral infections such as herpes zoster and genital warts, bacterial infections such as impetigo, and fungal infections such as candidiasis, among many others.

Other Conditions (19%)

Conditions like acne vulgaris, alopecia areata, and urticaria constitute a substantial portion of dermatological conditions, approximately 19%, significantly affecting quality of life and psychological wellbeing².

Legit.Health also covers a wide range of other dermatological conditions, including acne, alopecia, and urticaria, ensuring comprehensive care for patients with these common yet impactful diseases.

Inflammatory Diseases (15%)

Conditions such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and hidradenitis suppurativa are prevalent, affecting millions worldwide.

Psoriasis alone affects approximately 2-4% of the global population, while dermatitis has a lifetime prevalence of up to 30%³.

As well as the common inflammatory skin diseases, Legit.Health also provides coverage for rare diseases and severe conditions such as generalized pustular psoriasis, ensuring that patients with these debilitating diseases receive the care they need.

Malignant Diseases (5%)

Despite the high public profile of malignant skin diseases due to their severity, these conditions constitute a smaller fraction of dermatological diseases (about 5%). Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) make up the majority of skin cancers, while melanoma, though aggressive, remains relatively less common⁴.

Autoimmune Diseases (3%)

Autoimmune skin conditions like cutaneous lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and bullous diseases, although severe, collectively make up approximately 3% of dermatological cases⁵.

Genodermatoses (1%)

These rare genetic disorders, including epidermolysis bullosa and ichthyosis, constitute less than 1% of skin conditions, yet require significant clinical attention due to their chronic and debilitating nature⁶.

Legit.Health provides coverage for many rare genetic conditions, ensuring that patients with epidermolysis bullosa and other genodermatoses receive the specialized care they need.

Vascular Diseases (1%)

Vascular conditions such as hemangiomas and vascular malformations represent around 1% of dermatological diseases. Although often benign, they can cause significant functional and cosmetic issues⁷.

Legit.Health also covers vascular conditions, including those affecting infants, ensuring comprehensive care for patients with these conditions.

Should You Only Focus on Malignancy?

Focusing primarily on malignancy neglects the vast majority of patients suffering from other conditions. While malignant diseases are severe and require attention, chronic inflammatory, infectious, and autoimmune diseases significantly impact citizens' quality of life, productivity, and psychological health. Resource allocation, research funding, and public awareness campaigns should thus reflect the broader spectrum of dermatological diseases to effectively improve overall patient care.

In conclusion, while malignancy warrants attention due to its severity and potentially fatal outcomes, the bulk of dermatological conditions—and thus the bulk of dermatology practice—lies elsewhere. A broader view of dermatology that includes infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, genetic, vascular, and other conditions is crucial for meeting the comprehensive healthcare needs of patients worldwide.

References

Karimkhani, C., et al. "Global Skin Disease Morbidity and Mortality: An Update from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013." JAMA Dermatology 153.5 (2017): 406-412. ↩
Tan, J.K.L., Bhate, K. "A global perspective on the epidemiology of acne." British Journal of Dermatology 172.Suppl 1 (2015): 3-12. ↩
Weidinger, S., Novak, N. "Atopic dermatitis." Lancet 387.10023 (2016): 1109-1122. ↩
Leiter, U., et al. "Epidemiology of skin cancer." Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 35.5 (2021): 1093-1104. ↩
Schmidt, E., Zillikens, D. "Pemphigoid diseases." The Lancet 381.9863 (2013): 320-332. ↩
Fine, J.D., et al. "Inherited epidermolysis bullosa: updated recommendations on diagnosis and classification." Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 70.6 (2014): 1103-1126. ↩
Mulliken, J.B., et al. "Vascular anomalies: Classification, diagnosis, and management." Journal of Clinical Investigation 129.1 (2019): 406-410. ↩

Actual Prevalence of Dermatological Conditions​

Infectious Diseases (57%)​

Other Conditions (19%)​

Inflammatory Diseases (15%)​

Malignant Diseases (5%)​

Autoimmune Diseases (3%)​

Genodermatoses (1%)​

Vascular Diseases (1%)​

Should You Only Focus on Malignancy?​

References​

Footnotes​