Descriptive epidemiology of basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in Soria (north-eastern Spain) 1998-2000: a hospital-based survey.

INTRODUCTION: Better knowledge of the epidemiology of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) will allow the development of more effective diagnostic and preventive measures.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have reviewed the clinical records of patients from the 'Hospital General de Soria' who were diagnosed with BCC and/or SCC (lower lip included) by histopathology between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 2000. Recurrences and diagnostic duplicities (tumours first biopsied and then excised) were excluded.

RESULTS: The mean age was 71.4 years for BCC subjects and significantly older, 77.3 years, for SCC subjects. Photoexposed skin areas accounted for 92.6% and 93.8% of BCC and SCC tumours, respectively. The crude incidence rate for the population of 100 000 was 148.27 for BCC and 58.24 for SCC. The age-adjusted incidence rate (adjusted for world standard population) was 57.97 and 17.87 years, respectively. Subjects with superficial BCC were significantly younger than the rest of the BCC patients and their tumours were located on non-photoexposed skin. The ears and dorsum of the hands were the almost exclusive locations of SCC.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results should be compared with those to be obtained in future years to determine trends in the descriptive epidemiology of BCC and SCC.