EPIDEMIOLOGY of COMMON SKIN CANCERS

Non-melanoma skin cancers are the most common cancers in people with fair skin and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common among them. BCC progresses slowly, is locally aggressive and rarely metastasizes. Although the mortality rate is low, morbidity and disease cost burden is high. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common skin cancer. Most of cutaneous SCCs are treated, but may cause recurrence, metastasis and mortaliy. Melanoma is rare compared to BCC and SCC but it is a very important public health problem due to its high mortality. Melanoma is the most aggressive and has the highest mortality rate in all skin cancers and early diagnosis is vital. Various environmental, phenotypic and genotypic factors, particularly ultraviolet (UV) are involved in the etiology of these three skin cancers. The incidence of these three skin cancer is increasing rapidly worldwide. People should be educated about skin cancers and protection from factors, particularly UV that are associated with etiology of skin cancers. Thus, morbidity, mortality and cost burden associated with skin cancers will decrease