Benign skin tumors in older persons: a population-based study

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Gerontology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Benign skin tumors are prevalent in the elderly but their causes are poorly understood.
• Common lesions include seborrheic keratosis, lentigo solaris, cherry angiomas, and melanocytic nevi.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate risk factors for common benign skin tumors in an elderly population.
• To evaluate the association of sex, age, sun exposure, lifestyle, and laboratory markers with these skin lesions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study of 552 participants aged 70-93 years.
• Total body skin examinations (TBSE) by dermatologists, augmented with self-reported data.
• Statistical analysis using Chi-square test, Fischer exact test, and ANOVA.

Main Results:

• Seborrheic keratosis was most common, particularly in males. Lentigo solaris and cherry angiomas were more frequent in females.
• Outdoor work history correlated with increased lentigo solaris and seborrheic keratosis.
• Lower glycated hemoglobin, higher HDL, lower triglycerides, and lower hemoglobin levels were associated with cherry angiomas in specific subgroups.

Conclusions:

• Identified significant sex differences in the prevalence of benign skin tumors.
• Several novel potential etiological factors for common benign skin tumors were uncovered.
• Further research is needed to fully characterize the etiology of these prevalent lesions.