Open AccessSentinel health event surveillance: skin cancer of the scrotum in New York State.
Author(s) -
Aura L. Weinstein,
Holly L. Howe,
William S. Burnett
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.79.11.1513
Subject(s) - scrotum , medicine , skin cancer , cancer , testicular cancer , disease , dermatology , medical record , environmental health , family medicine , surgery , pathology
Skin cancer of the scrotum is a disease that has been identified as a sentinel health event (occupational) (SHE(O] that is necessarily occupationally related. The present paper examines the feasibility of using this disease in active cancer surveillance in New York State. After consulting cancer case reports, hospital records, death certificates, and city directories, we obtained occupational data for 17 of 22 cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer of the scrotum diagnosed between 1979 and 1984. Only three cases had occupations previously linked to scrotal cancer, while 11 of 19 cases had one or more possibly contributory medical conditions. The probable under-reporting of scrotal cancer cases and incompleteness of occupational data may limit the usefulness of scrotal cancer as a sentinel health event (occupational) unless additional steps are taken.