A Study of Skin Tumors in the Jeonbuk Province Over the Last 27 Years (1978~2004) / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: There have been many changes to the social and medical environment in Korea over the last 30 years. Therefore, we presume that distribution and incidence of skin tumors might have changed. This is the first report to analyse skin tumors in the Jeonbuk province over the past 27 years (1978~2004). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence and distribution of skin tumors among people of the Jeonbuk province. METHODS: A total of 4,037 cases of skin tumor were obtained from surgical pathology specimen at Department of Dermatology in Chonbuk National University Hospital. RESULTS: Among the 4,037 cases of skin tumors, 2,856 cases (70.8%) were benign tumors, 841 cases (20.8%) were malignant tumors, and 340 cases (8.4%) were premalignant lesions. The most common benign skin tumor was melanocytic nevi with 402 cases, followed by 299 cases of seborrheic keratosis, 298 cases of epidermal cyst, and 136 cases of nevus sebaceus. Among the 841 cases of malignant skin tumors, there were 309 cases of basal cell carcinoma, 192 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 66 cases of malignant melanoma, and 55 cases of malignant lymphoma. Of the premalignant lesions, there were 271 cases of actinic keratosis, 67 cases of Bowen's disease and 2 cases of lentigo maligna. The predilection sites of melanocytic nevi were the face (50.0%), trunk (13.9%), scalp (11.0%), foot (9.5%), and those of seborrheic keratosis were the face (37.5%), followed by the scalp (23.1%). The predilection site of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis was the face (86.9%, 57.8%, 82.3%). Over the past 10 years (1994~2004), benign tumors, malignant tumors and premalignant lesions have occurred with a ratio of 58.4%, 68.7%, and 77.2% respectively. 220 patients with malignant tumors were transferred for treatment or evaluation to other departments or hospitals. Form these, the most common type of tumor was basal cell carcinoma (56 cases), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (44 cases). CONCLUSION: We reviewed 4,037 cases of skin tumor, confirmed histopathologically within at the Department of Dermatology at the Chonbuk National University Hospital between 1978 and 2004. This data will be made available for the study of skin tumors in Korea.

Study on Vaccination State in Children: Jeonbuk Province, 2000

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to obtain the vaccination rate and age appropriateness of vaccination in children under five years of age in Jeonbuk province. METHODS: Eight hundred and fifty infants and children were enrolled in this study. Vaccination rate(Number of vaccinees/Number of subjects), places of vaccination, age appropriateness of vacination were examined by either vaccine record review or interview with parents or guardians. RESULTS: The salient features of the findings were as follows : All subjects were aged under five and mostly under two years of age(68.8%). Places of vaccination were health centers or subcenters(50.4%), private clinics(44.3%), and general hospitals(5.3%). Routine vaccinations such as BCG, hepatitis B vaccine(HBV), diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis(DTaP) and Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine(TOPV), measles, mumps, rubella(MMR), and Japaneses B encephalitis(JBE) were vaccinated mostly in health centers or subcenters, while chickenpox(CHP) and haemophilus influenzae vaccines(Hib), which are not routine in Korea, were vaccinated in private clinics. The vaccination rates of BCG(99.2%), HBV(93.5%) and DTaP(96.1%) were very high. But those of MMR(83.7%), CHP(72.5%), JBE(50.2%), and Hib(15.8%) were lower than expected. Considering the age appropriateness of vaccination, some infants and children were not appropriately vaccinated(vaccination rate/age appropriateness of vaccine; HBV, 93.5%/88.4% : DTaP, 94.6%/73.1% : JBE, 50.2%/ 18.5%). CONCLUSION: The vaccination rate of BCG, HBV, DTaP and TOPV was very high, but MMR, CHP, JBE, and Hib vaccination rate was not high enough to be able to protect against epidemic. We should pay more attention to vaccinating children, and there is a need for a program that will enhance coverage for vaccines.