Journal of

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Background and Aim: Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in the world with high morbidity and relatively low mortality. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of cancer and its incidence is increasing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of skin cancer in the years 1386 to 1390 is in the Markazi Province, Iran.

Methods: In this study the data of Markazi Province Cancer Registry were used and incidence rate was calculated per 100,000 person. Age standardized incidence rates were calculated via direct standardization method using world standard population. Finally, the data were analyzed using SPSS, Excel, and WinPepi softwares.

Results: In Markazi Province, 958 patients with skin cancer were recorded during 1386-90. The age-standardized incidence rates in these years were 21.54, 12.06, 13.79, 18.29 and 15.79 per 100,000 people respectively. There was no significant change in the trend of skin cancer incidence rates.

Conclusion: Skin cancer was higher in men than women, and most cases occur in the elderly. Development of screening programs is recommended to detect skin cancer in its early stages in older men, especially in those who have been exposed to the sun for long times.

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Background and Aim: Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the Iran. The first step in planning for the prevention and treatment of cancers is collecting information about their incidence and trends. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of skin cancer and its trend in southern Iran. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by analyzing the existing data obtained from the National Cancer Registry System in Iran. The data included all records of skin cancer cases in southern Iran. Then, the incidence rates were standardized using direct method. The data were demonstrated in frequency tables and Cochrane-Armitage test for linear trend was used for evaluation of the incidence trend. Results: Skin cancer had a high incidence in the southern provinces of Iran. A total of 6230 cases of skin cancer during 6 years (2003-2008) were recorded in those provinces and the incidence rate of skin cancer was increasing (P=0.001). In all years of the study, skin cancer incidence was higher in males than women. In terms of frequency, Fars, Khuzestan, Bushehr and Hormozgan provinces had the highest age-standardized incidence. Conclusion: Considering the high incidence of skin cancer and its relationship to sun exposure, educating people on the correct sun protection, educating and empowering physicians and the people about early detection of skin cancers seems to be important in preventing its increasing trend.