Trends in the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer in the SE Netherlands 1975-1988: a registry-based study.

The trends in the incidence and the sites of primary basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin were examined in a defined population of 650,000 persons in the SE Netherlands during the period 1975-88. The data was obtained from the Cancer Registry in Eindhoven and was from the dermatological and surgical clinics of 12 community hospitals. The incidence rates for BCC during this period rose from 42 to 53/100,000 person years for males and 24 to 38/100,000 person years for females. The rate of incidence for SCC varied with an increase mainly among males. In about 80% of the cases BCC and SCC occurred on the head and neck. Allowing for some detection bias a rise in the true incidence of BCC and SCC was observed, with an increase in SCC only since 1982. There was a marked decline in the incidence of SCC on the lips of males. These rates and trends fit into a pattern observed in other parts of Europe.