Basal cell carcinoma in Kauai, Hawaii: the highest documented incidence in the United States.
BACKGROUND
In Kauai, Hawaii, we observed an exceedingly high incidence of basal cell carcinoma in an earlier 1-year study.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to report the incidence of basal cell carcinoma in a defined population in Hawaii.


METHODS
A prospective 5-year population-based incidence study was conducted on Kauai, Hawaii, between 1983 and 1987 to investigate the frequency of basal cell carcinomas in Caucasian residents. A total of 242 residents, 161 men and 81 women, were identified with an initial episode of basal cell carcinoma during the 5-year period.


RESULTS
The average annual incidence per 100,000 Kauai Caucasian residents standardized to the 1980 U.S. white population was 576 for men and 298 for women with a combined incidence of 422. The average patient age was 56.5 years, and men had a significantly higher incidence of cancer than women (p < 0.000001). The head and neck was the most common site. The trunk was the second most common site, representing one third of lesions. Subsequent new basal cell carcinomas occurred in 16.9% of patients. Only 3.3% of patients had recurrent carcinomas after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Kauai's incidence rates of basal cell carcinoma are the highest yet documented in the United States. As an unexpected finding, a decreasing incidence trend was noted in the study's later years and may warrant further investigation. Finally, a significant number of basal cell carcinomas developed on the trunk, suggesting and reinforcing the expectation that sun exposure is not limited to the face and neck in this Hawaiian population.
Reizner
G T
GT
Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Chuang
T Y
TY
Elpern
D J
DJ
Stone
J L
JL
Farmer
E R
ER
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006254:Hawaii / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People