BACKGROUND Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer in humans. OBJECTIVES To identify the epidemiology of basal cell carcinoma in Taubaté-SP and verify a
possible association between topography and the different histological subtypes of
this tumor. METHODSThis was a cross-sectional study conducted at The University Hospital of Taubaté
between 01/01/08 and 12/31/09. The study included patients with a confirmed
diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma, of both genders, without age restrictions. The
variables studied were incidence of basal cell carcinoma, topography, histological
subtype, skin color, age and gender. We employed the chi-square test to identify
the association between histological subtype and topography, and the student's t
test to compare the mean age of onset for the different histological subtypes.
RESULTS The study included 239 individuals. The mean age of the sample was 68.0 years.
Male subjects (57.7%) and whites (87.1%) predominated in the study. The
predominant histological subtype was nodular (34.7%), followed by the superficial
subtype. The most frequent sites of involvement were the head and neck (areas
exposed to light), with predominance of the nasal region. The superficial subtype
was an exception, as it showed a strong association with unexposed areas like the
trunk. The mean age of onset of superficial basal cell carcinoma also differed
from that of the other histological subtypes, 63.0 and 69.0 years, respectively.
CONCLUSIONThe results of this study suggest an association of the superficial histological
subtype with younger patients and unexposed areas of the body, linking this type
of tumor with a pattern of intermittent sun exposure, more similar to the standard
photocarcinogenesis of melanoma.