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Review
. 2017 Jan;7(Suppl 1):5-19.
doi: 10.1007/s13555-016-0165-y. Epub 2017 Feb 1.

Skin Cancer: Epidemiology, Disease Burden, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Approaches

Zoe Apalla  1 , Dorothée Nashan  2 , Richard B Weller  3 , Xavier Castellsagué  4
Affiliations
Review

Skin Cancer: Epidemiology, Disease Burden, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Approaches

Zoe Apalla et al. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Skin cancer, including both melanoma and non-melanoma, is the most common type of malignancy in the Caucasian population. Firstly, we review the evidence for the observed increase in the incidence of skin cancer over recent decades, and investigate whether this is a true increase or an artefact of greater screening and over-diagnosis. Prevention strategies are also discussed. Secondly, we discuss the complexities and challenges encountered when diagnosing and developing treatment strategies for skin cancer. Key case studies are presented that highlight the practic challenges of choosing the most appropriate treatment for patients with skin cancer. Thirdly, we consider the potential risks and benefits of increased sun exposure. However, this is discussed in terms of the possibility that the avoidance of sun exposure in order to reduce the risk of skin cancer may be less important than the reduction in all-cause mortality as a result of the potential benefits of increased exposure to the sun. Finally, we consider common questions on human papillomavirus infection.

Keywords: Dermatology; Diagnosis; Disease burden; Epidemiology; Skin cancer; Therapy; Treatment.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Case studies: 80-year-old woman presenting with field cancerization, and 45-year-old woman presenting with lupus erythematodes (forehead and cheek shown)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Case study: lichen planus complicating diagnosis in a 78-year-old man with actinic keratosis on his hand
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Case study: psoriasis complicating diagnosis in a 47-year-old man with actinic keratosis on his hand
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Case study: cheilitis actinica versus actinic keratosis (mouth and cheek shown)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Case study: 89-year-old woman presenting with multiple comorbidities (leg shown)
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Case study: field cancerization in an 80-year-old patient (head and shoulder/neck shown)
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Case study: Treatment of a patient who had received a kidney transplant (leg shown)
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Case study: 85-year-old woman with multiple basal cell carcinomas (forehead shown)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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