Epidemiological Behavior of Skin Cancer in Costa Rica, 2015-2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51481/amc.v66i3.1423Keywords:
neoplasms, skin neoplasms, epidemiology, incidence, mortality, Costa RicaAbstract
Aim. Establish the incidence and mortality of skin neoplasms in Costa Rica during 2015-2022.
Methodology. An ecological observational study was conducted using public national data. The analysis focused on the mortality and incidence of skin cancer, including both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, in Costa Rica during the period 2015-2022. Data were collected from death records and case reports classified under ICD-10 codes C43-C44
Results. From 2015 to 2022, Costa Rica reported a total of 40,766 deaths from malignant tumors, with 2.55% (1,041 cases) attributed to melanoma and other skin cancers. The average age of death was 74.9 years, and 63.11% of deaths occurred in men. During the same period, 85,728 malignant tumors were diagnosed, of which 24% (21,092 cases) were skin cancers. The provinces of San José and Alajuela recorded the highest number of cases. The age group of 55 to 74 years concentrated most histological diagnoses of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and other types. Premature deaths accounted for 3,399 years of life lost.
Conclusions. From 2015 to 2022, Costa Rica experienced an increase in skin cancer mortality despite a decline in diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults and men had the highest incidence and mortality rates, particularly in San José and Alajuela.
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