[Epidemio-clinical profile of skin cancer in southern Tunisia].
BACKGROUND
Skin cancer (SK) frequency is increasing all over the world.


OBJECTIVE
We report a clinical and epidemiological study of SK in the south of Tunisia through a 1476 cases series.


METHODS
On the basis of a retrospective study, we report the clinical and epidemiological data collected from files of patients with skin cancers seen during a 24-year-period (1979-2002).


RESULTS
Our series was composed of 1476 patients, with an incidence of 615 cases/year. The mean age was 55 years. Epithelial skin carcinomas were the most common (1288 cases, 87.3%). Basal cell carcinomas were found in 890 patients (69%) and squamous cell carcinomas in 398 (31%). The mean age was 60 years. The phototype III was the most common (52.8%) among these patients. Skin melanomas were found in 71 cases (4.8%). The mean age was 54 years with a female predominance (60.6 %). Kaposi sarcoma was found in 4.5% of patients. The mean age was 64.3% and a male predominance was found (80% of cases). Two patients with Kaposi sarcoma (33%) were HIV positive. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans was reported in 2% of patients and skin lymphoma in 1.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
The mean age is relatively low in our series. The increase in the incidence of skin cancers is probably related to the climatic conditions, the ageing of the population and to the changes in the social, economic and cultural aspects in the country. The male predominance is changing toward an equal distribution between both sexes probably in relation to the present similarity in the life style and work conditions.
Mseddi
Madiha
M
Service de Dermatologie -Sfax- Tunisie.
Marrekchi
Slaheddine
S
Abdelmaksoud
Wafa
W
Bouassida
Samir
S
Meziou
Taha Jalel
TJ
Boudaya
Sonia
S
Masmoudi
Abderrahnen
A
Zahaf
Abdelmajid
A
Turki
Hamida
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology; D018223:Dermatofibrosarcoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology