Affiliation
Cancer and Population Studies Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 2000, Royal Brisbane Hospital, QLD 4029, Brisbane, AustraliaIssue Date
2017-02-16
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common cancer in white populations and its disease burden is often substantially underestimated. SCC occurs more often in men than women and increases dramatically with age; those affected often develop multiple primaries over time, which increases the burden. The main external cause is solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), with immunosuppression being the other established risk factor, shown by the high SCC rates in organ transplant recipients. Sunbed use and certain genetic disorders and medical conditions are also associated with SCC, while associations with human papillomavirus infection and high bodyweight are not established. The presence of actinic keratoses (AKs) on sun-damaged skin is one of the strongest predictors of SCC in unaffected people and a very small proportion of AKs are SCC precursors, although the true rate of malignant transformation of AKs is unknown. The mainstay of SCC prevention is protection of the skin from undue sun exposure by use of clothing cover and sunscreen during summer or in sunny places. Educational, behavioural and multicomponent interventions directed at individuals ranging from parents of newborns, to school children and adolescents, to outdoor workers, have repeatedly been shown to be effective in improving sun-protective behaviours. Health policies can facilitate SCC prevention by setting standards for relevant behaviours to reduce UVR exposure, for example, by legislated restriction of the tanning industry. Skin cancer prevention initiatives are generally highly cost-effective and public investment should be encouraged to control the growing public health problems caused by SCC.Citation
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: an epidemiological review. 2017, Br J DermatolJournal
The British Journal of DermatologyDOI
10.1111/bjd.15324PubMed ID
28211039Type
ArticleLanguage
enISSN
1365-2133ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1111/bjd.15324
Scopus Count
Collections
Related articles
- Is ultraviolet exposure acquired at work the most important risk factor for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma? Results of the population-based case-control study FB-181.
- Authors: Schmitt J, Haufe E, Trautmann F, Schulze HJ, Elsner P, Drexler H, Bauer A, Letzel S, John SM, Fartasch M, Brüning T, Seidler A, Dugas-Breit S, Gina M, Weistenhöfer W, Bachmann K, Bruhn I, Lang BM, Bonness S, Allam JP, Grobe W, Stange T, Westerhausen S, Knuschke P, Wittlich M, Diepgen TL, FB-181 Study Group
- Issue date: 2018 Feb
- Host characteristics, sun exposure, indoor tanning and risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
- Authors: Veierød MB, Couto E, Lund E, Adami HO, Weiderpass E
- Issue date: 2014 Jul 15
- Epidemiology of actinic keratoses and squamous cell carcinoma.
- Authors: Salasche SJ
- Issue date: 2000 Jan
- Predicted increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma induction associated with sunbed exposure habits.
- Authors: Tierney P, de Gruijl FR, Ibbotson S, Moseley H
- Issue date: 2015 Jul
- The epidemiology of non-melanoma skin cancer: who, why and what can we do about it.
- Authors: Marks R
- Issue date: 1995 Nov