Malignant Skin Tumors seen in Nigeria Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi: A 10-year Review (January 2008 to December 2017)

Abstract Background: Skin malignancy rank among the most common malignancies involving both sexes. Basal cell carcinoma is reported as the commonest malignancy even though studies have implicated Squamous cell carcinoma as the commonest especially in the tropic regions of the world. Aims and Objectives: This study aims at determining the base line data, frequency and trends of malignant skin tumours in Nnewi, Nigeria. It also implores the use of World Health Organization (WHO) in classification of skin malignancy. Materials and Methods: This study reviewed all histologically diagnosed skin malignancies at Histopathology department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria from 2008 to 2017 and classified them using 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) skin tumour book. Results: A total of 387 skin biopsies were received in the Histopathology department during the study period. Out of these, 110 cases were malignant skin lesions (28.4%) majority were benign lesions. Keratinocytic or epidermal tumours were the most common (n: 54 cases; 49.1%) with squamous cell carcinoma being the commonest in the group (n: 34; 30.9%) followed by mesenchymal or soft tissue neoplasm (n:31 cases; 28.1%), melanocytic tumours (19.1%), skin adnexal tumour (2.7%) and haematolymphoid tumour (0.9%). The head and neck region (n: 49; 44.5%) was the commonest site of occurence of cutaneous neoplasms followed by lower limb (n: 32; 29.1%), groin (n:10; 9.1%), upper limb and trunk with 6 cases each (5.5%) Four (4) cases of Albinos with skin malignancies were seen in this research with a frequency of 3.6%. Fifty nine cases (53.6%) out of 110 malignant skin tumour were seen in males, while 51 (46.4%) of them were females, therefore the male to female ratio was 1.2:1. The mean age of those with malignant skin tumours was 52.9 years. Patients above 60 years of age constituted 57.3% while those less than 30 years constituted 14.5 % of the total malignant skin tumours. Conclusion: The frequencies of different morphologic patterns of malignant skin tumours in our environment were different from those reported in western countries. However, it is similar to most studies done in the Midwestern Nigeria tertiary hospitals with squamous cell carcinoma being the commonest skin malignancy followed by kaposi sarcoma.