Changing trends in the number of deaths from nonmelanoma skin cancer in Japan, 1955-2000.
BACKGROUND
The incidence and number of deaths from nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) have been reported to increase in many countries. However, those in Japan over a long time span have not been analyzed yet.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the changing trends in the numbers of deaths from NMSC in Japan.


METHODS
We analyzed the annual trends in numbers of deaths from NMSC from 1955 to 2000 in Japan on the basis of the data from the Vital Statistics of Japan, Statistics and Information Department, Minister's Secretariat, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.


RESULTS
The general trends in numbers of deaths from NMSC were downward between 1979 and 1994, but upward after 1995. The recent annual increased proportion of deaths from NMSC was 3.8% (95% confidence interval: 1.3-6.3%). The general trends in age-standardized death rates were roughly downward, although the death rates plateaued after 1995. The number and proportion of deaths among the elderly were increasing. In recent years, more than 50% of the deaths among females occurred at or after 85 years of age, and the corresponding age for males was 75 years or after.


CONCLUSIONS
Elderly individuals should be a focus of health promotion activities.
Ohtsuka
Hisashi
H
Surgical Division, Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ehime University Hospital, Ehime 791-0295, Japan. ohtsuka@m.ehime-u.ac.jp
Nagamatsu
Shogo
S
D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology