Clinico-pathological Spectrum of Primary Skin Malignancies in an Indian Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Skin malignancies are the most common form of malignant disease in the western world, predominantly affecting older age groups. The majority of skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and malignant melanoma, which account for more than 95% of total skin malignancies. However, in India, these constitute only 1-2% of all cancers. There is an increase in incidence in India over 10 years of period. There is scarcity of data on the clinico-pathological profile of these tumours from this geographical region.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital in which archival records and histopathology sections of all patients of skin carcinomas diagnosed over a period of 5 years (January 2016 to December 2020) were analysed. The clinical parameters and histopathological features of the cases were analysed and correlated for any possible association.

Results: Out of the 230 skin malignancies studied, SCC constituted the most common type ( = 148), followed by BCC ( = 70) and malignant melanoma ( = 12). The tumour commonly presented in the 6 decade of life with slightly higher male preponderance (M: F =1.6:1). Sun-exposed areas were the most common sites, and the common presentations included non-healing ulcer, fungating/cauliflower/polypoidal growth, and hyperpigmented or nodular plaque. In SCC, previous history of diabetes and burns was noted in 10% and 3.4% of the patients, respectively.

Conclusion: SCC is likely the most common histological type of skin malignancies in India. The clinico-pathological profile of skin malignancies of patients depends on multiple factors, notably the skin colour and the geographical location.