Skin cancer is the most common cancer?

[CBG23]

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I am reading the Kaplan behavioral science notes and it says that skin cancer is the most common cancer overall - this is the first time I heard this claimed. I always remember seeing that classic table saying that it's breast or prostate followed by lung and colorectal cancer. What's the deal?

http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/uscs/toptencancers.aspx

Also, the annual SEER report and the annual "Cancer Statistics" article (http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/caac.20073v1) for some reason intentionally excludes all skin cancers except for melanoma. Why exclude basal and squamous cell carcinoma data?

 

[2012mdc]

I am reading the Kaplan behavioral science notes and it says that skin cancer is the most common cancer overall - this is the first time I heard this claimed. I always remember seeing that classic table saying that it's breast or prostate followed by lung and colorectal cancer. What's the deal?

http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/uscs/toptencancers.aspx

Also, the annual SEER report and the annual "Cancer Statistics" article (http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/caac.20073v1) for some reason intentionally exludes all skin cancers expect for melanoma for some reason. Why exclude basal and squamous cell carcinoma data?

I think they exclude those ones because they very rarely metastasize and very rarely kill people

 

[turkeyjerky]

I think they exclude those ones because they very rarely metastasize and very rarely kill people

Non-melanoma skin cancers (ie basal and squamous cell) are, by far, the most common cancers. Put together, they probably beat all other cancers combined.

 

[2012mdc]

Non-melanoma skin cancers (ie basal and squamous cell) are, by far, the most common cancers. Put together, they probably beat all other cancers combined.

I'm not disputing that fact at all but they rarely kill people.

Estimated new cases and deaths from skin (nonmelanoma) cancer in the United States in 2010:

New cases: more than 1,000,000

Deaths: less than 1,000
In 2007 (the most recent year numbers are available)—

• 203,536 people in the United States were diagnosed with lung cancer, including 109,643 men and 93,893 women.*†
• 158,683 people in the United States died from lung cancer, including 88,329 men and 70,354 women.*

Because nm-skin cancers have a such a high cure rate and rarely cause death they are typically excluded from discussions.

Of course if a test question asks what cancer is most common overall (and not what kills the most) and non melanoma skin cancer is there, it's the right answer.

 

[monkeys!]

I believe that non melanoma skin cancer is usually excluded in cancer rate tables because there are not reliable reporting systems in place for it (because of how common and benign they are).

 

[Staradmiral]

The most common cancer worldwide is liver cancer as stated by the Board Review Series Books due to the massive population of China, India, and surrounding area and the high incidence of malnutrition and toxic foods containing aflatoxin in these areas. The stats on breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colerectal cancer as stated in Goljan's pathology only refer to the United States.

 

[IHeartNerds]

...the high incidence of malnutrition and toxic foods containing aflatoxin in these areas...

Last I heard, there was also this thing called "hepatitis B" that caused a fair number of HCCs in the developing world...

 

[2012mdc]

Last I heard, there was also this thing called "hepatitis B" that caused a fair number of HCCs in the developing world...

 

[anencephaly]

 

[CBG23]

I'm not disputing that fact at all but they rarely kill people.

Estimated new cases and deaths from skin (nonmelanoma) cancer in the United States in 2010:

New cases: more than 1,000,000

Deaths: less than 1,000
In 2007 (the most recent year numbers are available)—

• 203,536 people in the United States were diagnosed with lung cancer, including 109,643 men and 93,893 women.*†
• 158,683 people in the United States died from lung cancer, including 88,329 men and 70,354 women.*

Because nm-skin cancers have a such a high cure rate and rarely cause death they are typically excluded from discussions.

Of course if a test question asks what cancer is most common overall (and not what kills the most) and non melanoma skin cancer is there, it's the right answer.

I believe that non melanoma skin cancer is usually excluded in cancer rate tables because there are not reliable reporting systems in place for it (because of how common and benign they are).

Both reasons make sense - I wish text books/ professors would mention stuff like this instead of just brushing things aside. This reminds me of when I was learning about lung cancer and couldn't wrap my head around how there is a small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancers AND bronchial carcinoid, even though you would think that it would just be considered a type of non small cell lung cancer (because the names make it seem like you either are or you're not).

 

[mdeast]

I just gave a presentation on this actually. Over 2 million cases of skin cancers a year...but not an accurate number because they don't keep statistics on the common, non-dangerous forms. But, only about 70,000 melanoma (#5 or #6 cancer), 9,000 melanoma deaths. The more scary thing is that melanoma has increased in incidence about 3 times over the last 30 years. Someone born today has about a 2% chance of developing melanoma in their lifetime (more if you're white). That's HUGE.

 

[Staradmiral]

Last I heard, there was also this thing called "hepatitis B" that caused a fair number of HCCs in the developing world...

I didn't say it was only alflatoxin. Of course hep B as well.

 

[werd]

i agree with the explanations above. to clarify, basal cell carcinoma is by far the most common cancer overall. it's usually lumped in with squamous cell carcinoma of the skin as non-melanoma skin cancer, and "non-melanoma skin cancer" is usually excluded from the table data for cancer rates. SCC's typically behave themselves, but have a real metastatic rate (esp. if arising in scars, >2cm, etc). there's also lots of other fun types of "non-melanoma skin cancer" that are very rare that noone ever mentions (like merkel cell carcinoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, sebaceous carcinoma) but have a worse prognosis than melanoma. while most "non-melanoma skin cancer" is low-risk, it can turn ugly on you sometimes.

 

[DoctwoB]

According to GT:

Incidence: non-melanoma skin, prostate/breast (depending on gender), lung, colorectal

Mortality: Lung, prostate/breast, colorectal, pancreatic