Table 5.
Specific knowledge regarding KC, ordered by publication date.
| Publication | Item | N Analyzed | n (%) Correct | Further Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katz, Jernigan (1991) [48] | Which of the following is not a sign of basal cell carcinoma: (a) an open sore that is slow to heal (b) a shiny bump or nodule on the skin, usually the face (c) a reddish patch or irritated area that does not go away (d) a black mole with hair growing in it |
251 | 59% * | Incorrect answers (d) in total: 41% | |
| Basal cell carcinomas: (a) are rarely found in Caucasians (b) tend to metastasize quickly (c) are the most common and least serious of the skin cancers (d) can be fatal if not treated promptly |
251 | 48% * | Incorrect answers (a,b,d) in total: 52% | ||
| Squamous cell carcinomas: (a) can metastasize and cause death (b) are almost always benign (c) tend to occur more frequently in dark-skinned persons (d) usually begin in a mole |
251 | 14%* | Incorrect answers (b,c,d) in total: 86% | ||
| Garcia et al. (2020) [56] | Correct identification of pictures of lesions as malignant ‘cancer’ or benign ‘not cancer’ | BCC (Picture A) ** | 37 | 49% | |
| BCC (Picture B) ** | 37 | 43% | |||
| SCC (Picture A) ** | 37 | 73% | |||
| SCC (Picture B) ** | 37 | 67% | |||
| Brokmeier et al. (2024) [46] | What do you think are signs of NMSC? | Reddish, rough, scaly skin spots | 3968 | 72.8% | |
| Bleeding or poorly healing skin spots | 3970 | 60.9% | |||
| Alterations in nevi | 3970 | 30.7% | answering ‘no’ was correct | ||
| Light or white spots on the skin | 3967 | 22.6% | answering ‘no’ was correct | ||
| What do you believe contributes to the development of NMSC? | Sunbathing | 3978 | 78.7% | ||
| UV radiation during outdoor occupation | 3973 | 77.1% | |||
| Using tanning beds | 3977 | 73.0% | |||
| Weakened immune system | 3978 | 57.9% | |||
| What do you reckon are possible consequences of white skin cancer ***? | Surgery | 3967 | 55.5% | ||
| Metastatic spread | 3954 | 42.2% | |||
| Radiation therapy or chemotherapy | 3967 | 45.4% | |||
| Recurrence of NMSC | 3954 | 56.3% | |||
| NMSC can progress to MM | 3959 | 14.7% | answering ‘no’ was correct | ||
| Estimated severity of NMSC compared to MM | 3963 | 1148 (29.0%) | correct answer: Less severe; Equally severe 1483 (37.4%) More severe 492 (12.4%) I do not know 839 (21.2%) |
||
| Diehl et al. (2024) [47] | What do you think are signs of NMSC? | Reddish, rough, scaly skin spots | 905 | 40.7% | |
| Bleeding or poorly healing skin spots | 905 | 41.7% | |||
| Alterations in nevi | 905 | 23.2% | answering ‘no’ was correct | ||
| Light or white spots on the skin | 905 | 18.0% | answering ‘no’ was correct | ||
| Sunlight can contribute to the development of ‘white skin cancer’ *** in people who work outdoors. | 905 | 71.4% | |||
KC: Keratinocyte carcinoma; NMSC: Nonmelanoma skin cancer; MM: Malignant melanoma; BCC: Basal cell carcinoma. * Calculation based on reported data (i.e., 100% incorrect %). ** No further description provided. *** Colloquial German terms for KC.