The incidence of malignant nonmelanoma skin cancer in the inhabitants of the silesian voivodeship

Background. Our paper presents the study findings on malignant nonmelanoma skin cancer incidence in the inhabitants of the Silesian Voivodeship over the years 1999-2003. Material and methods. The incidence rates were estimated by calculating a cumulative risk and the incidence coefficients in partial, raw and standardized form using "the world's population" as a standard. Results. It was observed that the coefficient values were increasing continuously in the Silesian Voivodeship. The average annual incidence rate was 4.2% in men and 4.8% in women in 1999-2003, thus one in 67 men and one in 91 women ran the risk of developing the skin cancer. The male population was characterized by higher incidence rate (standardized rate of 12.9/100 000) than the female one (standardized rate of 9.70/100 000), which resulted from increased incidence rates in men since the age of 55. The difference between male and female rates was growing with ageing of the population. Majority of the lesions occurring on the patients' bodies was localized on the head and neck.