Clinicopathological profile, diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers at a tertiary care center: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Majority of skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma and Malignant melanoma which account for more than 95% of total skin malignancies. There is an increase in incidence in India over some 10 years of period. This study was done for analysing clinicopathological profile of skin malignancies and association of human papilloma virus (HPV) in skin malignancies in Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS, Uttarakhand, India.Methods: It was a retrospective study done on 101 patients having malignant skin lesions attending the Department of Surgery at HIMS from October 2005 to October 2008 and given their consent.Results: Out of 101 patients, 68 had squamous cell carcinoma, 21 had basal cell carcinoma and 10 had malignant melanoma, prevalence is high in men of lower socioeconomic status (M:F) 1.9:1. The mean age was 54.50 years. Most of the patients were laborers, farmers and factory workers. Ulcers and ulceroproliferative growth were common mode of presentation. Most commonly associated risk factor was exposure to sunlight, the commonest location of skin cancer was face and scalp. Wide local excision was the commonest done procedure with closure of primary defect by SSG, fasciocutaneous or cutaneous flaps. No HPV association was seen.Conclusions: Skin cancers are quite common and their incidence has increased in last few decades, in this study we found that skin cancer were more common in males of lower socioeconomic status, probable cause was increased sun exposure and chemical exposure, in respect to females. Cancer could manifest in many forms but ulcers quite common, Squamous cell carcinoma outnumbered basal cell carcinoma, Wide local excision with skin grafts was main stay of treatment.