Self-reported skin cancer is unreliable

Excerpt

Self-reported information is a tool commonly used in both clinical and epidemiological studies and is in many cases the only available source of information. And although some studies use medical records or registers, the majority of studies use self-reported information [1]. However, if the validity of this information is erroneous, the scientific results generated will in consequence be correspondingly erroneous. The validity of self-reported information has been widely discussed for many years, but there are very few studies examining the validity of self-reported skin cancer [2‐5]. The incidence of skin cancer may be difficult to assess, as in most countries non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) incidence is not routinely registered. Epidemiological data on NMSC incidence are consequently sparse [6]. However, Denmark has extensive registration of NMSC in the nationwide pathology database (Patobank). Against this background, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the validity of self-reports regarding having had cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), NMSC, and precursors to skin cancer (PSC) and subsequently to explore possible explanations for potential discrepancies between self-reports and Patobank. …