Scientists have reported an increase in the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in women
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- Scientists have reported an increase in the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in women
In five of the seven populations studied, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin increased from generation to generation faster in women than in men. Australian scientists analyzed data from cancer registries for 1989-2020 and suggested that the difference may be related to accumulated UV exposure. How squamous cell carcinoma differs from melanoma and why it is difficult to track its prevalence in registries is described in the Izvestia article.
How the generations were compared
The staff of the Australian Medical Research Institute QIMR Berghofer used information about diagnoses in Tasmania, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Scotland and the Netherlands. All seven registries made it possible to study the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin over a long period of time. In the same populations, the researchers examined data on invasive melanoma.
The probability of detecting a tumor varies with age. The figures are also influenced by the calendar period, such as the availability of surveys and the completeness of accounting. The researchers used a model that took into account both circumstances and made it possible to assess how the incidence of the disease differs in people of different birth years. The generation of 1959 was taken as the starting point, and the calculation for women and men was carried out separately.
When comparing the generations born in 1959 and 1974, the increase in morbidity was estimated at 60-94% in women and 8-47% in men, according to the British Association of Dermatologists. These percentages describe the changes between generations within each group. Separate indicators are needed to compare the absolute incidence in men and women.
The most pronounced difference in growth rates was found in Tasmania, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. It was lower in Finland and Scotland. Differences were also observed among the generations born before 1959. Estimates for the youngest groups remain less accurate, as many of these people have not yet reached the age at which the tumor is usually detected more often.
What could have influenced the increase in morbidity
For melanoma, the changes from generation to generation in men and women were generally comparable. In some populations, men's height was even more pronounced. The authors attribute the discrepancy to the fact that the nature of UV exposure is important for different tumors. Episodes of intense radiation exposure, including in childhood, can be an important factor for melanoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is particularly closely related to the dose that the skin receives throughout life.
"We were surprised that the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma increased from generation to generation in women faster than in men. With melanoma, we see a different picture," said Katherine Olsen, the lead author of the study, an employee of QIMR Berghofer.
Olsen suggested that women of different generations could spend different amounts of time in the sun. Over the decades, leisure habits, attitudes towards tanning, clothing, and outdoor work conditions have changed. At the same time, the registers contained information about cases of the disease, but the researchers did not have individual data on time in the sun and the use of protection.
The researchers also looked at changes in tumor registration. More comprehensive accounting alone may increase the number of cases identified. According to the authors, it does not explain the entire difference between the sexes. One of the reasons for this interpretation is the repetition of the pattern in several populations with different levels of solar exposure.
What is the danger of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin?
The tumor develops from keratinocytes, cells of the outer layer of the skin. Melanoma is formed from other cells, melanocytes, which produce pigment. Keratinocytic tumors also include basal cell carcinoma. Olsen and her co-author, Professor David Whiteman, compared changes in the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma with data on melanoma.
It is difficult to track the extent of the disease even where there are developed cancer registries. Keratinocytic tumors are not recorded everywhere as systematically as melanoma. According to QIMR Berghofer, Tasmania remains the only region in Australia where both common forms of keratinocytic cancer are regularly accounted for. Such data helps to understand in which age groups the incidence is changing and where prevention is particularly in demand.
When UV protection is needed
The level of ultraviolet depends, among other things, on the time of day, latitude and clouds. The feeling of coolness in itself does not mean anything about it. The World Health Organization recommends using the UV index to assess exposure. If the value is from three, you should look for shade, cover your skin with clothing, and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to exposed areas.
The authors of the study believe that reducing UV exposure is also important for people who have been spending time in the sun for many years. Whiteman also called for better accounting for keratinocytic tumors. Long-term observations are needed to find out how the incidence of the disease in new generations changes as they age and whether protective measures affect the number of cases.
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