Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Rates: A Worldwide Problem

Cancer registries should include squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas to make trends in these common cancers visible.

In the U.S., Europe, and Australia, incidence of the nonmelanoma skin cancers, i.e., cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), exceeds that of all other cancers combined. Because they are so common and have a low mortality rate, nonmelanoma skin cancers are not usually entered into cancer registries, limiting evaluation of trends in their occurrence. The authors of this review systematically evaluated high-quality methodological studies of local BCC and SCC incidence in various parts of the world. The authors reviewed SCC and BCC separately because of differences in their pathogenesis.

The researchers reviewed 75 studies from 38 countries conducted during certain periods between 1955 and 2007. Nearly all U.S. an…

Reviewing Author

Craig A. Elmets, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals

EquityVaxin

Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.

Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)