Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer in Tasmania

The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in Australia is higher than in any other country in the world, largely because of the high levels of exposure to ultraviolet radiation in our predominantly fair-skinned population. The Tasmanian Cancer Registry is the only cancer registry in Australia, and one of the few in the world, to have registered cases of NMSC. More than 100,700 histologically-confirmed NMSCs were notified to the registry between 1978 and 2005. This project aims to report the age-standardised incidence rates for the two main types of NMSC (basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas); to examine incidence trends over time for males and females (SCC); to examine the occurrence of multiple NMSCs in the same individual; and to describe the body site distribution of NMSCs. Findings to date show a marked increase in the incidence of NMSC in Tasmania since 1978. This is likely to reflect both a real increase in the occurrence of NMSC as well as increases in the detection of skin cancer.

This project is a participant based study.

Research Groups

• Cancer Epidemiology: Venn Group
• Population Health: Venn Group
• Tasmanian Cancer Registry: Venn Group

Staff