Non-melanoma skin cancer: importance of gender, immunosuppressive status and vitamin D

Abstract

Ultraviolet light B (UVB) is responsible for the majority of cutaneous damage and is believed to be the single most important etiologic agent in the development of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC). These skin tumors are by far the most common form of cancer in humans, with over 1 million new cases identified in the United States each year. Several risk factors exist, which increase the chance of a patient developing NMSC including gender, immunosuppressive status and more controversially vitamin D levels. The present review provides an overview of each of these areas.