Incidence of non-melanocytic skin cancer treated in Australia

Abstract

In 1985, as part of a national random household omnibus survey by a market research company, 30976 Australians (mostly of European origin) were asked whether they had ever been treated by a doctor for skin cancer. The treating doctor or hospital was then approached for confirmation of the diagnosis of ali those, people who claimed to have been so treated within the past 12 months. Demographic data were also collected, permitting analysis by age, sex, country of birth, current residence, and skin reaction to strong sunlight.Melanomas accounted for less than 5% ofthe tumours treated. The world standardised incidence of melanoma was 19/100 000 population. The standardised incidence of treated nonmelanocytic skin cancer in Australia was estimated to be 823/100 000. The standardised rates for basal celi carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were 657 'and 166/100 000 respectively, yielding a standardised rate ratio of about 4:1. Standardised rates based on medically confirmed cases only were 555, 443, and 112/100 000 for all non-melanocytic skin cancers, basal celi carcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas respectively. Significant differences and trends in incidence were noted with respect to age and sex. Rates in men were higher than those in women but significantly so only after the age of 60. People born in Australia had a rate of 936/100 000 compared with 402/100 000 in British migrants. Rates for non-melanocytic skin cancer showed a gradient with respect to latitude within Australia. The rate in people residing north of 29°S was 1242/100 000 compared with a rate of 489/100 000 in those living south of 37°S. A person's skin reaction to strong sunlight was a good indicator of the risk of skin cancer, tanning ability being inversely related to its incidence. The rate in those who always burnt and never tanned when exposed to strong sunlight was 1764/100 000 compared with a rate of 616/100 000 in those who always tanned and never burnt. These findings have important implications for public education programmes in relation to exposure to sunlight in Australia.Introduction Non-melanocytic skin cancers are common in many parts of the world but accurate reports of their frequency are rare. Non-melanocytic skin cancer presents difficulties for cancer registration as many cases are treated in doctors' surgeries by simple excision, curettage, or cryosurgery. Cancer registries that record non-melanocytic skin cancer depend entirely on that variable proportion of tumours that are histologically verified and then notified. There have been few epidemiological studies of these lesions at a community level and there has never been a population wide survey of their incidence in Australia, which purportedly has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. [1][2][3][4][5] Because of the heightened risk to Australians, most of whom are of European origin (Aborigines account for only about 1% of the population), education campaigns have been carried out to try to decrease skin cancer by promoting behavioural changes with res...

Occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma in Milchschaf sheep in Uruguay

“…This difference in the rate associated with geographical zones is well studied in humans, and southern hemisphere countries show higher rates of presentation, i.e. more than double compared to latitudes of 37º to 29º in Australia (GILES et al, 1988), and increases in 39% for each 10º decrease in latitude in Africa (NEWTON et al, 1996). In cattle, studies have reported a higher incidence of ocular SCC in the south-western hemisphere at lower latitudes with higher levels of sunlight (TSUJITA & PLUMMER, 2010;PUGLIESE et al, 2014).…”

Measurements of the anatomical distribution of erythemal ultraviolet: a study comparing exposure distribution to the site incidence of solar keratoses, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

“…The proportion of SCC is greater to the exposed surfaces of the upper limbs than BCC 17,26 . This, in part is due to the higher incidence rate of BCC localised on the body trunk, an area of the body not readily exposed to solar UV, decreasing the relative proportion of BCC incidence to frequently exposed body surfaces.…”

“…A total of 2491 measurements of ER to the face, neck, forearm, hand and leg have confirmed that exposures received by the face and back of the neck are greater than exposures received by both the upper and lower limbs. Of each of the studied body parts, the anatomical distribution of BCC and SCC is greatest to the face and upper limbs, particularly the dorsum of the hand and forearm 15,16,17,26 . ) and low exposed areas uncloured (ER: 0-25). )…”

A workplace intervention for increasing outdoor workers' use of solar protection.

“…2 In 1987, 20 to 25 Australians per 100 000were diagnosed as having cutaneous malignant melanoma,3 and 823 Australians per 100 000 were diagnosed as having nonmelanocytic skin cancers. 4 In Australia, skin cancer results in 1000 deaths each year and has been estimated to cost the community $400 million annually. 5 Although the burden of illness associated with skin cancer is significant, this disease is estimated to be almost 80% preventable6 and almost 100% curable by the adoption of a correct and vigilant set of primary and secondary preventive behaviors.7,8 Primary preventive behaviors, which limit exposure to ultraviolet radiation, not only offer the best prospect of reducing the incidence of skin cancer,6,9 but also potentiate the spontaneous remission of existing solar keratoses'0 prior to possible malignant transformations.…”