Ann Dermatol.  1999 Apr;11(2):70-74. 10.5021/ad.1999.11.2.70.

Frequency Trends of Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma in Korea, between Mid-1980s and Mid-1990s

• Lee KH
• Lee AY
• Lee CW
• Park CK
• Shu JI
• Kim IS

• KMID: 2359734
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.1999.11.2.70

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Malignant skin cancers in Korea have been increasing as in other countries, but the previous epidemiological studies have been only attempted by a single hospital unit in a limited period of time.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate and compare the frequencies, age, sex distribution, and anatomical location of the frequent skin cancers collected from several hospitals over a 10 year period between 1984-5 and 1994-5.
METHODS
258 cases of skin cancer from 4 different places in Seoul were collected for the study. Histopathological records from pathology departments and medical records were reviewed to obtain information about the frequencies.
RESULTS
Overall there were 141 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)1 basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and malignant melanoma (MM) in the mid-eighties and 117 in the mid-nineties. SCC was the most common skin cancer in both periods but the frequencies and the SCC/BCC ratio dropped at the later period. The ratio of males to females was getting smaller at 1.4:1 in the mid-eighties and 1.1:1 in the mid-nineties. BCC was concentrated on the face and SCC was rather evenly distributed over the body surface. The predilection site of malignant melanoma (MM) was quite different between the two periods. The lower extremities was the main site in the mid-nineties and the head and neck in the mid-eighties.
CONCLUSION
Although there was no statistical significance, the BCC/SCC ratio was increased and the male/female ratio decreased at the later period.

Keyword

Frequencies; Squamous cell carcinomaBasal cell carcinoma; Melanoma

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Basal Cell*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*
Epidemiologic Studies
Epithelial Cells*
Female
Head
Hospital Units
Humans
Korea*
Lower Extremity
Male
Medical Records
Melanoma*
Neck
Pathology
Seoul
Sex Distribution
Skin Neoplasms