Pattern of cutaneous malignancies in a tertiary hospital in Sarawak
- Author:
Yap FBB
;
Pubalan M
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
skin cancer, pattern of disease, demographics
- From:Malaysian Journal of Dermatology
2009;22(-):7-10
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background Most Asian studies have determined that basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the commonest
skin cancer followed by squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), malignant melanoma (MM) and others.
The pattern of cutaneous malignancies has never been determined in Sarawak. Thus, this
retrospective study was performed to determine the pattern among patients attending the skin clinic
in Sarawak General Hospital.
Materials and Methods The clinic notes of 87 patients diagnosed to have skin cancer
histopathologically between 2000 and 2008 were retrieved and subjected to descriptive analysis.
Analysis for the pattern of disease and demographics was performed.
Results BCC constituted the main skin cancer with 49.4% (n=43) followed by SCC with 26.4%
(n=23), cutaneous lymphomas (CL) with 9.2% (n=8), MM with 4.6% (n=4) and other cutaneous
malignancies with 10.3% (n=9). The number of cases detected steadily increased over the 8 year
period, with most BCC and SCC diagnosed after 2003. The mean age of presentation was highest in
patients suffering from SCC at 62.7 years followed by BCC 60.9 years, MM 59 years, CL 54.3 years
and other malignancies 40.6 years. Female predominance was noted in all the malignancies except
squamous cell carcinoma. Chinese constituted the majority of cases (50.6%) followed by Malays
(29.9%), Bidayuhs (9.2%), Ibans (8.0%) and other indigenous people of Sarawak (2.3%). This
pattern of distribution corresponds with the racial distribution of the clinic attendance.
Conclusion Cutaneous malignancies in Sarawak differ from regional pattern in that CL is ranked as
the third commonest skin cancer and that female predominance was seen in BCC, CL, MM and other
skin cancers
