Meijerink, L.B.M. (2025) REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN PREVALENCE AND ANNUAL INCIDENCE RATES OF CUTANEOUS SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NORTHEAST TWENTE AND THE NETHERLANDS. thesis, Medicine.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Objective: To determine the prevalence and annual incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) in Northeast Twente, the catchment area of Medisch Spectrum Twente (MST), and to compare these figures with those for the entire Netherlands. Methods: A longitudinal, retrospective comparative study was conducted from January 2019 to December 2023. Cancer registry data for the Netherlands were obtained from the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), and for Northeast Twente from both IKNL and the Laboratory for Pathology East Netherlands (LabPON). The incidence data were also stratified into 15-year age groups, starting from age 20. For sub-analyses, additional data were used regarding sex, age at diagnosis, tumour location (tumour in head and neck region or in another anatomical location), and TNM staging. Results: The prevalence of cSCC in Northeast Twente was significantly higher than in the Netherlands (579 vs. 406 per 100,000 inhabitants). In the Netherlands, 106,974 individuals were diagnosed with cSCC, whereas in Northeast Twente, the number was 2,263. The annual incidence was significantly higher in Northeast Twente in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. The analyses for 15-year age groups revealed particularly significant differences in the age groups 50-64, 65-79, and 80-94 years. Conclusion: The prevalence and incidence of cSCC in Northeast Twente are higher than national figures and are expected to continue rising. These findings underscore the need for a revision of regional skin cancer policies to alleviate the growing pressure on dermatological healthcare.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Poot, Dr. A.M. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Apr 2026 13:04 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Apr 2026 13:04 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3920 |
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