Pattern of malignant skin tumors in Asir region, Saudi Arabia.

The current study describes the pattrn of malignant skin tumors in 137 cases seen in Asir Central Hospital histopathology laboratory over a five year period (1987 to 1991). Ninety percent (90.5%) were Saudis and the mean age was 61.0 years with a male:female ratio of 1.6:1. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type of skin cancer presenting (41.6%), followed by basal cell carcinoma (36.5%), and then malignant melanoma (11.7%). Ninety-eight percent of basal cell carcinoma occurred on the head, compared to only 47.4% of squamous cell carcinoma; and 24.6% of squamous cell carcinoma cases occurred in the lower limbs. Eighty-seven percent (87.6%) of malignant melanoma cases occurred in the extremities. The distribution of the other types of malignant skin tumors are also discussed. Our findings were compared with the very few studies from the Kingdom and other parts of the world.