← All comparisons · Skin cancer prevention

Which interventions reduce new squamous-cell carcinoma?

Outcome definition: New (incident) cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma.

How to read this comparison

Every intervention below was measured against the same outcome, so their effects are lined up on one axis. They are not pooled together. Relative effects (risk ratios) are broadly comparable, but the interventions were studied in different populations (see the Population column), so absolute benefit and NNT are not directly comparable across rows.

Effect on new squamous-cell carcinoma

Topical 5-fluorouracil for skin cancer prevention 0.25 [0.09–0.65] Celecoxib for skin cancer prevention 0.42 [0.19–0.92] Sunscreen for skin cancer prevention 0.61 [0.46–0.81] Nicotinamide for skin cancer prevention 0.70 [0.49–1.00] Oral retinol for skin cancer prevention 0.74 [0.56–0.98] 0.1 0.25 0.5 1 2 4 ← favors intervention favors control →

Each row is a different intervention's pooled effect on the same outcome. Interventions are not pooled together—this is a comparison, not a meta-analysis.

Interventions

Intervention Population RR [95% CI] Improvement NNT Studies Status
Topical 5-fluorouracil for skin cancer prevention Keratinocyte carcinoma (high-risk) 0.25 [0.09–0.65] 75% 31 1 Limited data
Celecoxib for skin cancer prevention Nonmelanoma skin cancer (high-risk, actinic damage) 0.42 [0.19–0.92] 58% 10 1 Limited data
Sunscreen for skin cancer prevention Skin cancer (general adult population) 0.61 [0.46–0.81] 39% 2 Limited data
Nicotinamide for skin cancer prevention Nonmelanoma skin cancer (high-risk patients) 0.70 [0.49–1.00] 30% 5 1 Limited data
Oral retinol for skin cancer prevention Skin cancer (moderate-risk) 0.74 [0.56–0.98] 26% 1 Limited data

NNT is shown where a baseline risk was available; it reflects each intervention's own study population and follow-up, so NNTs are not comparable between rows with different baseline risk.