title: Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma growth rates and determinants of size in community patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) have poorer outcomes if treated when large.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to estimate the growth rate of BCCs and SCCs and examine the relationship of personal, pathway, and cancer factors with cancer size (diameter).
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed patients, pathology, and treatment for invasive BCCs and SCCs in 1 Australian region in 2000 through 2001.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BCC size increased with increasing time since first noticed. Relative to mean size at 0 to 2 months, the mean size ratio was 1.10 at 2 to 8 months and increased steadily to 1.81 at 5 to 10 years (P < .001). Few BCCs were untreated beyond 10 years. There was no consistent evidence that SCC size increased with increasing time. Larger BCCs were independently associated with older age, male sex, no skin checks by a physician, aggressive tumor type, ulceration and lesion-associated scar tissue, and larger SCCs with male sex, skin checks by a physician every 1 to 3 months, and location on limbs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient recall of dates and lack of thickness for SCCs are limitations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Earlier diagnosis of BCCs, perhaps through skin checks by a physician, may reduce their size and improve outcome. SCC size did not evidently increase with time.
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: anne.kricker@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kricker
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.affiliation: University Center for Rural Health, University of Sydney, Lismore, Australia.
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Royal Newcastle Center, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Hunter Histo, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Gurpreet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singh-Khaira
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Health Service, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lecathelinais
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goumas
authors.affiliation: Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Afaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Girgis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009517:New South Wales; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D047368:Tumor Burden
keywords: basal cell carcinoma; cancer size; growth rate; skin cancer; squamous cell carcinoma