epidemiology

Last edited 12/2020 and last reviewed 12/2020

• this is the commonest skin cancer

• usually affects the middle aged or elderly

• the highest incidence is among Caucasians in tropical and sub-tropical regions

• incidence is related to sunlight exposure

• males are more commonly affected (M:F approximately 2:1) (1) - reflects increased sunlight exposure in males
  
  
• from 2013 to 2015, the European age standardised incidence rate of BCC in the UK was 285 per 100,000 people annually. The highest
  BCC rate was observed in Southwest England with 362 per 100,000 people annually (7)
  • incidence of BCC is increasing globally
  • calculated a mean annual percentage increase of 5% between 2013 to 2015 for both BCC and SCC across the UK

Reference:

• (1) GP (16th November 2001), 51
• (2)
Venables ZC et al. Epidemiology of basal and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in the United Kingdom 2013-2015: a cohort study. British Journal of Dermatology 2019 Mar 12.