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. 2021 Aug 18;1(4):e61.
doi: 10.1002/ski2.61. eCollection 2021 Dec.

An updated report on the incidence and epidemiological trends of keratinocyte cancers in the United Kingdom 2013-2018

M Kwiatkowska  1   2 , S Ahmed  2 , M Ardern-Jones  3 , L A Bhatti  4 , T O Bleiker  5 , A Gavin  6 , S Hussain  2 , D W Huws  7 , L Irvine  1 , S M Langan  8 , G W M Millington  9   10 , H Mitchell  6 , R Murphy  11 , L Paley  1 , C M Proby  12 , C S Thomson  4 , R Thomas  7 , C Turner  1 , S Vernon  1 , Z C Venables  1   9
Affiliations

An updated report on the incidence and epidemiological trends of keratinocyte cancers in the United Kingdom 2013-2018

M Kwiatkowska et al. Skin Health Dis. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Introduction: The most common cancers in the UK are keratinocyte cancers (KCs): the combined term for basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCCs). Registration of KC is challenging due to high numbers and multiplicity of tumours per person.

Methods: We provide an updated report on the descriptive epidemiology of trends in KC incidence for the resident populations of UK countries (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) using population-based cancer registry and pathology report data, 2013-18.

Results: Substantial increases in cSCC incidence in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be detected for the period of 2013-18, and the incidence of cSCC also increased in Wales from 2016 to 2018. In contrast, however, the pattern of annual change in the incidence of BCC across the nations differs. In England, the incidence of BCC declined slightly from 2016 to 2018, however, the overall trend across 2013-18 is not statistically significant. In Scotland, the incidence of BCC shows some variability, declining in 2017 before increasing in 2018, and the overall trend across 2013-18 was also not statistically significant. In Northern Ireland, the incidence of BCC increased significantly over the study period, and in Wales, the incidence of BCC increased from 2016 to 2018. One in five people will develop non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) in their lifetime in England. This estimate is much higher than the lifetime risk of melanoma (1 in 36 males and 1 in 47 females born after 1960 in the UK), which further highlights the burden of the disease and importance of early prevention strategies.

Conclusions: We highlight how common these tumours are by publishing the first ever lifetime incidence of NMSC. Additionally, the first time reporting of the age standardised incidence of KC in Wales further confirms the scale of the disease burden posed by these cancers in the UK. With approximately one in five people developing NMSC in their lifetime, optimisation of skin cancer prevention, management and research are essential.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr George Millington is the current Academic Vice‐President of the BAD and Editor‐in‐Chief of Skin Health and Disease journal (SHD), Dr Tanya O. Bleiker is the President of the BAD and Prof. Mike Arden‐Jones is the chair of the BAD Research Subcommittee. Shehnaz Ahmed is employee of BAD.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) tumour count using the first per patient all‐time technique for England, N. Ireland and Scotland, except for cSCC count in Scotland, where all instances of cSCC are registered
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) tumour count using first per patient per annum technique for England, Wales, N. Ireland and Scotland, except for cSCC count in Scotland, where all instances of cSCC are registered. Data for Wales available for 2016–18 only
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
National incidence rate of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) based on three counting techniques. Column 1. National European Age‐Standardised Rate (EASR) of BCC (top) and cSCC (bottom) 2013–18, using 1st per patient all‐time (1st PP) technique. Column 2. National EASR of BCC and cSCC 2013–18, using 1st per patient per annum (1st PPPA) technique. Welsh data cover 2016–18. Column 3. National EASR of BCC and cSCC 2013–18, using all registered tumours (All registered) technique. Lower and upper 95% confidence intervals are indicated by the dotted lines
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Regional variation in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) European Age‐Standardised Rate (EASR) incidence rate in England (Cancer Alliances), Scotland (NHS Boards), Wales and N. Ireland using first per patient per annum (1st PPPA) technique, except for Scotland where all cSCC are registered. Left. Regional EASR of BCCs 2016–18. Right. Regional EASR of cSCC 2016–18, Scottish data based on registration of all cSCC tumours (all registered technique)
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Age‐specific rates of basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in males and females 2013–18, England. Using data for first tumour all‐time
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Age‐specific rates of basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in males and females under 50 years old, 2013–18, England. Using data for first tumour all‐time
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Age‐standardised incidence rates of basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by deprivation level in 2013–2018, England. Using first tumour all‐time data. The error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals
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References

    1. Public Health England National Cancer Registration Analysis Service. Cancer Registration Statistics: England; 2018. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cancer‐registration‐statistics‐.... Accessed 2 June 2020.
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