Clinico-pathological characteristics of Skin Cancers at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, North Central Nigeria

Objective: To document the clinico-pathological characteristics of skin malignancies seen at Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi. Materials and Methods: A 3-year retrospective study of patients with histologically-confirmed skin cancers presenting to our institution from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2015 was done. Relevant data was extracted from the patients' records and subjected to statistical analysis. Results: Records were available for 43 patients with a mean age of 46 ± 18 years. There were 21 males and 22 females with a male:female ratio of approximately 1:1. Squamous cell carcinomas were the most common histologic type seen (44.2%) followed by melanoma and Kaposi's sarcoma (25.6% each) while basal cell carcinomas accounted for 4.7%. Farmers (37.2%) and artisans (23.3%) were the most common occupations seen. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients accounted for 27.9% of the total and albinos 18.6%. Majority of the patients (60.4%) had history of prolonged exposure to sunlight with little regard for protective measures. The average duration of symptoms before presentation was 28 ± 33 months. Conclusion: The study suggested an association between skin cancer and prolonged, unprotected exposure to sunlight on one hand and HIV infection on the other. It highlights the need to promote basic preventive measures.