Epidemiology of nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancer in Zagreb, Croatia.

The purpose of this retrospective and hospital-based study was to evaluate the epidemiology of nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancer at University Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Zagreb University Hospital Center and School of Medicine during the 2003-2006 period. The study yielded population based results on 2911 cases of skin tumors in 2402 patients out of 16938 biopsies performed at Laboratory of Dermatologic Histopathology, University Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Zagreb University Hospital Center nd School of Medicine during the study period. All newly diagnosed invasive and in situ skin cancers were recorded by use of the histopathology record forms. Basal cell carcinoma was most commonly identified in the histopathology material (n=2002), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (n=533), melanoma (n=46) and cutaneous lymphoma (n=35). Other, less common tumors were noted. The number of tumors, and differences in age, sex and localization were analyzed. During the study period, there was no increase in the total number of cases recorded: 4305, 4202, 4116 and 4315, respectively. Study results showed skin tumors to be mostly diagnosed in elderly population (median age, 71 years). There were no significant sex differences, with the exception of the adult age group in 2006. As expected, skin tumors were mostly found in sun-exposed areas with some specific localization of individual tumor types. Study results were consistent with recent literature data.