The Evolving Pattern Of Primary Skin Cancers in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Prevalence of Squamous and Basal Cell Carcinomas in African Albino Skin Cancer Lesions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Proportion

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of cutaneous SCC and BCC in all histologically confirmed skin cancer lesions in African albinos.The following five databases are as follows: African Journals Online (AJOL), PubMed, Europe PMC, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant articles. Study Selection: included studies were case series and cross-sectional studies of histologically confirmed skin cancers in African albinos. Data extraction and synthesis: data extraction and synthesis was informed by the meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology guideline. By random effect meta-analysis, we calculated the pooled prevalence of SCC and BCC in skin cancer lesions of the African albinos.

Result

We abstracted 695 skin cancer lesions from 540 African albinos (275 male and 241 female albinos with sex not stated in 24 subjects). There were 419 SCCs and 249 BCCs. By meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of SCC is 64% (95% CI; 50–77%). The prevalence for BCC is 31% (95% CI; 19–45%).

Conclusion

Overall, squamous cell carcinoma is the predominant type of keratinocyte carcinoma reported in African albinos. SCC is preponderant in case series of surgical excision biopsies while BCC predominates in studies reporting on albino skin surveillance programmes.

Primary cutaneous malignancies in nonalbino and albino Africans

BACKGROUND

The pigmented skin of black Africans has been credited with reduction in risk of skin cancer. African albinos have inherited defects in skin melanin deposition, which predisposes them to ultraviolet radiation-induced cutaneous carcinogenesis. We compared the manifestation of skin cancers between albino and nonalbino Africans aiming to describe the effect of pigmentation or lack of it on the epidemiological characteristics of skin cancer in Africans.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cutaneous malignancies seen in our institution over a 19-year period were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Results were presented in tables of frequencies. Continuous variables were presented as mean with standard deviation and compared with independent sample t-test and ANOVA. Alpha level of <0.05 was considered significant.

RESULT

There were 86 albinos and 364 nonalbinos in the study. Mean age (SD) at presentation for albinos was 41 (14) years and for nonalbinos 52 (17) years. Albinos had most tumors in the head and neck region and upper extremities. For nonalbinos, lower extremities followed by anogenital region were the most common body site of cutaneous malignancy. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type of skin cancer in the albino and nonalbino patients. No case of malignant melanoma was diagnosed in the albino group.

CONCLUSION

Albino skin cancer patients were much younger than nonalbinos. Albinos and nonalbinos differ in body site distribution of skin cancers. Distribution of keratinocyte carcinomas in albinos parallels the reported findings in Caucasians. Albinos may have some level of protection from cutaneous melanoma in spite of hypomelanized skin.