Cases of melanoma skin cancer in the UK are on the rise, with 20,800 people being diagnosed this year.
Cancer Research UK says melanoma rates – skin Cancer that can spread – have increased by almost a third over a decade.
Rates increased from 21 to 28 per 100,000 people between 2007-2009 and 2017-2019.
A new analysis finds that the upward trend in cases can be seen across all ages, but the biggest increase has been in adults over 80 – a 57% increase in cases over the past decade.
Among those aged between 25 and 49, there was an increase of 7%.
Cancer Research UK said around 17,000 cases of melanoma every year are preventable, with almost nine in 10 caused by too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
UV rays from the sun or tanning beds can damage the DNA of skin cells and cause skin cancer.
The charity advises people to spend time in the shade, particularly between 11am and 3pm; cover yourself with clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses with UV protection and sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and 4 or 5 stars, applied frequently.
One of the people diagnosed with skin cancer, after spotting a small spot above the knee, is Shrewsbury postmistress Caroline Jones.
Caroline Jones is encouraging people to get skin checks
Ms Jones first visited her GP after spotting a small mole-like spot on her leg in July 2018.
She told Sky News: “I noticed a tiny but strange mole-like thing, about half the size of a penny, just above her knee on her right thigh and decided I should take her to the doctors. ”.
The 57-year-old, who is all too familiar with the dangers of cancer after her mother died aged just 49, is urging people to get their skin checked if they are worried.
She said: “I sat in the waiting room looking at the photos on the wall and I could see that my skin looked exactly like one of the photos – smooth, shiny and black in the middle.
“My mother died of breast cancer when she was just 49 and here I was at 52. I honestly thought I was going to die.”
A biopsy found it was cancerous two weeks later, before Mrs Jones removed the wart without needing further treatment.
Mrs. Jones’ melanoma was removed
Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell said: “Survival from cancers, including melanoma, continues to improve, demonstrating the substantial progress made possible by research.
“But it is vital that people try to reduce their risk of contracting the disease in the first place.
“Be sure to take care in the sun and contact your doctor if you notice any unusual changes to your skin — whether it’s a new or changing mole, a wound that won’t heal, or an area of your skin that looks out of sorts.
“Detecting cancer early can make all the difference.”
More people surviving
The charity’s figures show, however, that more people are surviving melanoma, and deaths are expected to continue to fall.
Almost nine in 10 adults diagnosed with melanoma in England will survive the disease for a decade or more.
According to the charity, younger people are more aware of the link between the sun and skin cancer than older people, who may have taken advantage of the “boom in cheap package holidays” from the 1960s.
Other factors driving the increase in cases include the growing and aging population and increased awareness of skin cancer symptoms.
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Dr Claire Knight, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Getting sunburned just once every two years can triple the risk of developing skin cancer, compared to never getting sunburned.”
Last month, experts told how the first personalized mRNA cancer injection for melanoma, which also has the potential to stop lung, bladder and kidney cancer, is being tested on British patients.
The “gamechanger” injection, which offers hope of a cure, is tailor-made for each person in just a few weeks.
A stage 2 trial of the vaccine, involving pharmaceutical companies Moderna and MSD, found that it dramatically reduced the risk of the cancer returning in melanoma patients.
A final phase 3 trial is underway, led by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
