Increased left side prevalence of head and neck skin cancers

Background: Several studies have shown an increase in skin cancers on the left side of the face. But such studies have not been conducted in Korean patients. Objective: In this study, we analyzed the prevalence of left or right sided skin cancers in head and neck areas. Methods: We retrospectively included 384 head and neck skin cancers (Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen disease, Malignant melanoma) diagnosed at our center from January 1995 to February 2011. Location, age, and sex were recorded and analyzed. Results: All types of skin cancers occurred more on the left (54.17%) than on the right (45.83%) (p=0.051), with no stronger trend in men. Conclusion: There are more skin cancers on the left than the right side in Korean patients. But further study is needed because of the small patient population studied.