Resumen
- Objective: To establish the incidence of skin cancer in Colombia from 2003 to 2007. Methods: We performed an ecological study, using health services' records collected by the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection 2003-2007, the results of the National Demography and Health Survey of 2005, and the population predictions for Colombia of the National Department of Statistics. Results: The incidence rate of skin cancer in 2003 was 23 cases per 100 000 people, increasing to 41 cases per 100 000 people in 2007. The male:female ratio was 1.2:1. The incidence of skin cancer doubled in people over 60 years old. The departments with the highest incidence of skin cancer in the country were Bogota, Cundinamarca, Antioquia and Boyaca. The expected incidence of skin cancer in Colombia for 2020 is approximately 102 cases per 100 000 people. Conclusions: As in other countries, the incidence of skin cancer in Colombia is increasing. Preventive strategies are required to control this phenomenon in our setting.