Epidemiology

Summary features (1):

• Prevalence rates highest in countries that have high sun exposure and have largely fair-skinned population.
• Highest prevalence rate has been documented in Australia – over 40% in individuals aged over 40 years.
• Countries with low levels of sun exposure such as the UK and Ireland, have lower rates of 19-25%, in individuals aged over 60 years.
• Increased prevalence with age.
• There is an increased risk of actinic keratoses, and most non-melanoma skin malignancies, in patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment.

Note that about 20-70% of solar keratoses regress spontaneously over 1-2 years, but typically 15% recur (2,3).

References:

• (1) Chetty P, Choi F, Mitchell T. Primary care review of actinic keratosis and its therapeutic options: a global perspective. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2015 Mar;5(1):19-35. doi: 10.1007/s13555-015-0070-9. Epub 2015 Feb 3. PMID: 25647448; PMCID: PMC4374063.
• (2) Harvey I et al (1996). Non-melanoma skin cancer and solar keratoses. I. Methods and descriptive results of the South Wales skin cancer study. Br J Cancer; 74: 1302-7.
• (3) Frost C et al (2000). High incidence and regression rates of solar keratoses in a Queensland community. J Invest Dermatol; 42 (suppl 1):23-4.