Non melanoma skin cancer trends in Tripoli /Libya

Abstract

Introduction: The incidence of skin cancer is increasing at an alarming rate. Non melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common cancer affecting white individuals. Skin Cancer registration in Northern Africa is still limited and, until now, there have been no population-based data available for Libya. We perform the first epidemiological analysis of non melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in Tripoli/ Libya during 5years period between 2006-2010. Aim: To discuss current epidemiologic data concerning incidence and demographic variation. To compare our findings with those of published reports from other regions. Material and Methods: All histopathologically proven cases of (NMSC) reported during the years 2006 through 2010 were retrieved and reviewed. 70% of the data were electronically stored. Information regarding tumor type, age, gender, and anatomical location were collected. Results: A total of 579 cases of (NMSC) were diagnosed between the years 2006 and 2010. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was the commonest type, representing 76.9% of all skin cancers. Males were more frequently affected than female. Conclusions: We concluded that (NMSC) in Tripoli/Libya is not uncommon problem. Ascertainment of NMSC should improve since the advent and use of electronic pathology data. Ongoing increases in age-adjusted incidence, combined with ageing of the population, will have major implications for the clinical workload associated with (NMSC) for the foreseeable future.

Histopathologic patterns of cutaneous malignancies in individuals with oculocutaneous albinism in Anambra state, Nigeria: a paradigm swing?

“…This disproportionately higher frequency of BCCs among the albino population is consistent with several reports showing BCCs to be more common than SCCs among Caucasians [27,28], fair-skinned normal pigmented Africans [6][7][8][9][10]29] and among albinos [17,30] than was earlier reported.…”

“…Although this differs from earlier studies which showed BCCs to be infrequent among African albinos [2,15], the finding of SCC/BCC ratio of 1:2.3 further confirms that both BCCs and SCCs occur commonly in albinos comparable to the ratios reported in other studies in Africa which found a ratio of 1: 1.5 [17,30], in lighter complexioned Africans [6][7][8][9] and in Caucasians [27,28] and closely approximates the ratio reported by Kiprono et al [18] in Tanzania (Table 2) which found an SCC/BCC ratio of 1.2: 1 and Ademola et al [19] at Ibadan, Nigeria, with a ratio of 1:1.…”

“…Although several studies in predominantly dark-skinned Africans show a preponderance of squamous cell carcinoma (SCCs) [1][2][3][4][5], studies in Africans with lighter skin phenotypes show a pattern similar to that in whites [6][7][8][9][10]. The relatively uncommon incidence of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) in black Africans has been attributed to the protective effect of increased pigmentation.…”

Cutaneous cancers in the Africans: Systematic review

“…Tables 1 and 2 show documentation of skin cancers in 22 African countries published over a 50‐year period 15–58 . Some countries not included in the table did not have records; while some registries did not document skin cancers in their registries or did not specify on the skin cancer types in their reports 59,60 .…”

“…In countries such as Tunisia, Libya, Eqypt, and Morocco where the predominant skin color is white, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was the most documented skin cancer with a frequency of cases ranging from 38.9% to 76.9% 43–45,50 . However, Mamoud from Egypt reported SCC as the most common non‐melanoma skin cancer(NMSC) in a predominantly light skin colored population 46 .…”