Diagnosis of malignant neoplasms of the skin in servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Abstract

"Objective: Malignant neoplasms of the skin are diagnosed in high-risk groups, among which the military is special. The article is devoted to the analysis of diagnostics, and risk factors for malignant skin tumors in servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Materials and methods: An analysis of 23 cases of diagnosed malignant neoplasms of the skin in servicemen of AFU for the period 1999-2021. The study included cases in which the diagnosis was confirmed histologically in two laboratories. Clinical, laboratory, and histological data of each case were analyzed, and further analysis took into account the length of military service and the risks of professional activity. Results: Among the 23 cases, the majority - 22 were servicemen, and only 1 case of basal cell carcinoma in a 52-year-old employee. Among other servicemen, the age range was 25-55 years, with a mean age of diagnosis of 42 years. The period of military service at the time of diagnosis was 23.7 years, most cases were melanoma (15 of 23 cases), and in other cases - basal cell carcinoma. Patients were dominated by Air Force personnel (10 out of 23 cases) Conclusion: The prevalence of malignant skin neoplasms in the Armed Forces corresponds to global trends. A group of increased risk of developing malignant skin neoplasms is servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with a long service life (more than 20 years), older than 40 years. However, there is a high probability of developing melanoma of the skin in servicemen of shorter service life, which requires enhanced dermatological supervision in servicemen of any age and service life. "