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Men, older patients made up majority of NMSC diagnoses during routine skin exams

Nonmelanoma skin cancer was diagnosed in approximately 7% of patients presenting for routine dermatologic examination, with the majority being men and those older than the overall patient population, according to recently published study results.

Researchers retrospectively reviewed medical records from patients who presented for routine dermatologic care at Massachusetts General Hospital between March 28 and Sept. 28, 2012, and identified those diagnosed with biopsy-confirmed nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The total number of patients evaluated was determined by billing data.

Of the 14,829 patients who presented for routine care, 1,047 patients had NMSC diagnosed in 1,266 skin biopsies (32% of total skin biopsy specimens). Sixty-one percent of the lesions were basal cell carcinomas, whereas 38% were squamous cell carcinomas and 1% were other NMSCs.

The patients with NMSCs were significantly older than the overall clinic population (mean age, 70 years vs. 51.1 years, respectively) and made up of significantly more men (55% vs. 42%), according to the researchers. General dermatologic concerns (37%), routine cancer screening (43%) and specific lesions of concern (19%) were the primary symptoms of the patients with NMSC.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.