During the last decade, an increase of skin cancer has been observed world wide. In Chile, as in Latín America, there is a few nttmber of studies on skin cancer epidemiology. In our study, we analized 3244 skin tumors, belonging to four hospitals of the Metropolitan 's Health Service during the period 1992-1998. We found 1959 Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), 903 Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) and 382
Malignant Melanomas (MM). We determined the population covered by each service during the same period in order to obtain the incidence rates. In our study, the total skin cancer incidence rates increased 43% between 1992 and 1998, with a relative risk 1. 43 higher in 1998 than in 1992.
Specifically for each cancer, we found an increase of 105% of MM incidence rates in 1998 compared with 1992, with a relative risk of 2.05. Also, we found an increase of 86% in the SCC incidence rates and an increase of 26% in BCC's rates in 1998 compared with 1992. Although, the skin cancer incidence rates found here remind lower than those found in the international literature, it is concerning the increase in the skin cancer rates obtained during the studied period.
Zemelman, V., Roa, J. ., Díaz, C. ., Araya, I. ., Zamalloa, G. ., & Faúndez, E. . (2001). Incidencia del cáncer cutáneo en la Región Metropolitana. Revista Hospital Clínico Universidad De Chile, 12(2), pp. 96–103. https://doi.org/10.5354/2735-7996.2001.79910
