RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most prevalent and incident tumor in the world, being sun exposure the most important risk factor. Childhood and adolescence are the periods where sun exposure is greatest. An intervention to modify sun-related behaviours is essential for skin cancer prophylaxis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We carried out a quasi-experimental study on a school population of Granada with ages ranging from 11-12 years. The control and study groups completed a questionnaire prior to the intervention with educational program and thereafter. We performed a random conglomerate sampling of 628 teenagers. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Mc Nemar and Wilcoxon tests. RESULTS: After the intervention, the study group showed marked improvement in the results concerning knowledge about sun exposure and skin (OR = 2.89), sun exposure and environment (OR = 2.23), and sun exposure and health (OR = 1.4) as well as in attitudes and healthy behaviour regarding sun exposure (OR = 4.2). This difference was statistically significant compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Before planning a campaign for primary prophylaxis of skin cancer it is necessary to know the information and knowledge of the target population. 2. The risk of acute, intermittent sun exposure and the use of different means of photoprotection should be stressed. 3. In our study group the rate of sun burn has decreased.
Asunto(s)
Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Neoplasias Cutáneas/prevención & control , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Instituciones Académicas , Luz Solar/efectos adversos , Encuestas y CuestionariosAsunto(s)
Linfoma de Células B Grandes Difuso/patología , Neoplasias Cutáneas/patología , Adolescente , Antimetabolitos Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Extremidades/patología , Femenino , Humanos , Linfoma de Células B Grandes Difuso/tratamiento farmacológico , Metotrexato/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias Cutáneas/tratamiento farmacológico , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
Cutaneous melanoma has received substantial attention during the last years because of the increase in its incidence which has been registered in many countries. This paper aims at describing the incidence and characteristics of all new cutaneous malignant melanoma cases during 1985-1992 reported to the Granada Cancer Registry (Spain) in the context of Mediterranean populations. A population-based study with 247 cutaneous melanoma cases was carried out. The variables used were: sex, age, anatomic site, hystological type, level of invasion and tumour thickness. The Age-Standardised incidence Rate per World population (ASRW) was 2.9 for males and 3.7 for females in the whole period. An increasing incidence trend for both males and females was found. The ASRW in 1985-1987, 1988-1990 and 1991-1992 was respectively 2.2, 2.9 and 3.2 for males and 3, 3.4, 4.7 for females. The most frequent location was trunk for males (36%) and lower extremities for females (44%). The most frequent hystological type for both males and females was superficial spreading melanoma. Seventy-six percent of males and 60% of females were diagnosed Clark's level III or over. Average tumour thickness was 3.3 mm for males and 2.4 mm for females. The results of this study can be a guidance for the setting up of health policies which would contribute to the prevention of the disease and to an improvement in care. Because of the increase in incidence rates and the high percentage of cases which were diagnosed at advanced stages, it is advised that prevention campaigns are addressed to the Granada population.