[Contribution of the Saarland Cancer Register to the epidemiology of skin tumors].

2363 epitheliomas and 450 melanomas were reported to the Saarland Cancer Register between 1967 and 1978. We evaluated these 2813 cases and established the following ratio: Basal cell epithelioma: squamous cell carcinoma: melanoma = 63.4%:24%:12.5%: or 5:2:1. Bowen's disease, Bowen carcinoma and adenocarcinoma constitute a rarity. 80% of the basal cell epitheliomas, and 76% of the squamous cell carcinomas were localized on face, neck and head, the sites of predilection being the eyelids with basal cell epitheliomas, the lower lip with squamous cell carcinomas, and the ears with both epitheliomas in men. While no significant sex-related prevalence could be established for basal cell carcinoma, 56.5% of the squamous cell carcinoma were found in men, and 43.5% in women. The 450 melanoma-cases revealed a preference for women, the ratio of men:women turned out to be 1:1.58.