A Descriptive Study on Skin Cancer in Zanjan, Northwest of Iran, 2005-2010: A Hospital-Based Survey

Cutaneous melanoma and non-melanoma skin tumors are now the most common types of cancers in white population. Both of them show an increasing incidence rate worldwide. In this cross-sectional epidemiological study, researchers used data from the histological diagnoses given >5 years period extending from 2005-2010 in the Department of Dermatology of Valiasr Hospital in Zanjan, Iran. All patients suffering from plaque-like lesions suspicious to be tumoral were selected for biopsy. Pathological reports were reviewed and the relevant information such as age, sex, histological diagnosis of tumor and its anatomical site was abstracted. From a total of 5341 biopsied patients, 325 malignant tumors were diagnosed. BCC (65.2%) was the most common tumor. While melanoma was more prevalent in women, men had higher risks of BCC and SCC (p = 0.014, cc = 0.212). SCC was a cancer of the elderly whereas melanoma occurred on average at younger ages. The most common anatomic site of BCCs and SCCs both were head and neck. Melanoma, solar keratosis and skin lymphoma only involved the head and neck but Kaposi's sarcoma involved only the extremities. Skin cancers are considered to be a public health problem in Northwest of Iran as is the case in other parts of the world. Therefore, providing the high risk population with health information about causative agents and timely referring is highly recommended.