Skin cancer profile in patients from Ceara Cancer Institute on the period of 2000 to 2003

Studies on skin cancer fulfilled in places with geographical and/or population characteristics that predispose to this kind of disease have become more and more necessary, so that prevention may be performed effectively. This descriptive, retrospective and documental study had the aim of setting the skin cancer profile of the patients registered in the Ceara Cancer Institute (ICC) in the period of January,2000 to December, 2003. During the referred period, 1153 skin cancer cases were identified, especially in men (n=612; 53.1%). Basal cell carcinoma (n=736; 63.8%) and spin cell carcinoma (n=254; 22.0%) were the main histological types of skin cancer observed, and the face (n=478; 41.5%) was the most common affected site. There was a predominance of skin cancer in patients from 60s to 80s (n=547; 47.4%) with white skin (n=635; 55.8%), and surgery was the usual treatment choice (n=591; 51.2%). By the analysis of the ICC patients’ skin cancer profile, it was disclosed that with the age, people with light-colored skin and blond hair, male with chronic exposure to the sunlight without protection have greater risk to develop pre-malignant and malignant cutaneous lesions, increasing the rate of surgeries as a way of treatment.