Abstract
A case-control study on 133 consecutive incident cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer registered by Cancer Registry of Ragusa (Sicily) was carried out in order to evaluate the correspondence between risk factors observed in other geographic areas with those of a Latin country with a strong solar exposure. A multivariate analysis showed that family history of skin cancer, cancer-related cutaneous diseases, fair skin color, residence more than 400 meters above sea level, and prolonged solar exposure without protection, significantly and independently increase the risk of skin cancer. Ease of suntanning was an important protective factor. Solar exposure was a stronger risk factor for squamous cell than for basal cell cancer. The results of the study enable us to identify a high risk group of people to whom simple methods of protection against solar exposure may be suggested to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
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Drs Gafa3 and Tumino are at the Registro Tumori di Ragusa, Sicily, Drs Filippazzo and G. Dardanoni are at the Osservatorio Epidemiologico Regionale Siciliano, Drs Lanzarone and L. Dardanoni are with the Dipartimento di Igiene dell'Universita' di Palermo. Address correspondence to Dr L. Dardanoni, Dipartimento di Igiene e Microbiologia dell'Universita' di Palermo, Via del Vespro 133, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
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Gafa', L., Filippazzo, M.G., Tumino, R. et al. Risk factors of nonmelanoma skin cancer in Ragusa, Sicily: a case-control study. Cancer Causes Control 2, 395–399 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00054300
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00054300