Level of Education and Knowledge of Skin Cancer Risk Factors in Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis

An increased risk of skin cancer is particularly important in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD), who are potential transplant recipients. In transplant recipients who are exposed to immunosuppressive therapy, neoplastic skin disease my take a more aggressive course. Increased exposure to photoradiation, elderly age, a low skin phototype, sunburn during childhood, and a history of smoking are the main factors contributing to the development of skin neoplasms. Knowledge of these risk factors as well as education on sun protection should be important for such patients.

We studied 105 HD patients (57 men, 48 women) with a mean age of 60.8 (range 25-94) years. Knowledge of skin cancer risk factors was assessed on the basis of a questionnaire regarding skin cancer risk factors.

In the study group, 23.8% of patients claimed that they frequently and intensively engage in sunlight exposure. However, only 11.4% have started to apply sunblockers recently. Sunburn during adolescence was reported by 12.4% patients. Among the patients studied, 65.7% had skin phototype I or II, and only 34.3% had phototype III. In the investigated study group, 55.2% admitted smoking: 30.5% smoked more than 20 pack-years. Among the patients studied only 2.86% could name 3 skin cancer risk factors, 29.5% 2 risk factors, 60% 1 risk factor, and 7.6% could not name any risk factor.

The results presented prove that patients undergoing HD lack knowledge regarding skin cancer risk factors, which explains the necessity of education, particularly on the dangers of sun radiation.