Alarm as male skin cancer rates soar
Monday May 31st, 2010
Men are five times more likely to develop a deadly skin cancer now than they were 30 years ago, according to alarming new figures from the UK.
And male death rates from the cancer, melanoma, have doubled in the same period - as diagnosis and treatment has been unable to keep pace with the huge increase in cases, according to the Cancer Research UK figures.
The latest figures show that more than 14 out of every 100,000 men in the UK will be diagnosed with the disease.
Campaigners called on men to stop relying on women to look after their health - and to ensure they avoided too much exposure to the sun.
<!Melanoma appears as irregular, dark moles, which may rapidly become itchy. The cancer can spread rapidly to the body's organs.>
Caroline Cerny, who heads the SunSmart campaign at the cancer charity, said: "To curb this huge rise in deaths from malignant melanoma it's more important than ever that people are aware of the dangers of too much sun.
"Too often men leave it up to their partners or mothers to remind them to use sunscreen or cover up with a shirt and hat and even to visit the doctor about a worrying mole.
"And even though more women are diagnosed with the disease, more men die from it. This suggests that men are either not aware of skin cancer symptoms or are ignoring them and putting off going to see their GP."
She added: "It's crucial that people go to their doctor as soon as they notice any unusual changes to their skin or moles - the earlier the cancer is diagnosed the easier it will be to treat."
The campaign was backed by the government's care services minister Paul Burstow MP, who described the increasing death rate as "worrying".
He said "It highlights how important it is for everyone to protect themselves from overexposure to sun. Seeing many people with sunburn from the recent sunny weather is a reminder of how easy it is to damage your skin.
"We should all keep a careful eye on our skin. Shrugging off any changes in a mole's appearance could put your life at risk."
Tags: Cancer | Dermatology | Men’s Health | UK News
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