Factors associated with malignant skin tumors among patients referred to Ali-ibn Abi Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan, Iran, (2011-2013)

Background: Malignant skin tumors are of the most common types of cancers worldwide. Rafsanjan County, Iran, is geographically located in a warm and arid area. In addition, due to farming activity, a large population of this county is exposed to sunlight. The present study aimed at to determine factors associated with malignant skin tumors among patients referred to Ali-ibn Abi Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan, Iran, (2011-2013). Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, medical records and histologic slides of patients referring to the pathology department of Ali-ebn Abi Taleb hospital in Rafsanjan during the years 2011-2013, with a definitive diagnosis of malignant skin tumors, were extracted. The slides were reviewed to determine the subtypes of each tumor type. A researcher-made checklist including demographic characteristics, tumor type, and subtypes was completed, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Of 70 patients, 69 patients had a single tumor and 1 patient had 2 skin lesions. There were 71 cases of malignant skin tumors, including 87.3%, 9.9%, and 2.8% cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma, respectively. The ratio of men to women in total skin tumors was 1.7 to 1. 48.6% of patients consisted of farmers. The most frequent cites for BCC and SCC were head and neck with frequency of 96.8% and 85.7%, respectively, and for melanoma, lower limb with frequency of 100%, was the most frequent cite. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that skin cancer was more common among older men and farmers. It is recommended that training and screening programs be carried out to reduce risk factors, and prevent and detect these tumor types, especially among at-risk groups.