Clinicopathological Pattern of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer in Kuwait: A Retrospective Study

One in every three diagnosed malignancies is skin cancer, making it the most prevalent type of cancer in the world. As skin cancer is not commonly reported in Kuwait, this study was conducted to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC), primarily basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), during the last 13 years in a tertiary dermatology center in Kuwait.

Data were searched for patients with NMSC, primarily BCC and SCC, from 2010 to 2022. A retrospective review was conducted and descriptive data analysis was performed.

Of 7,645 cases, a total of 146 patients had NMSC. The patient's average age was 64.9 years. 123 cases (84.2%) had BCC, whereas 23 (15.8%) had SCC. Most of the tumors were seen on the face (35.6%), scalp (20.8%), and nose (17.8%), followed by the back (6.2%), trunk (5.5%), and ear (5.5%). Well-differentiated Cutaneous SCCs were detected in 82.6% of cases. Ulceration was observed in (21.9%) of tumors. The nodular BCC subtype was observed in 50.4% of patients.

BCC is the most common type of NMSC detected in Kuwait, with the scalp and face being the most common sites of involvement. Any suspicious lesions should be biopsied to rule out skin malignancy.