Skin cancer rates ‘surge since 1970s’

Posted 22/04/2014

Cancer Research UK statistics show more than 13,000 people develop malignant melanoma each year, compared with around 1,800 in the mid-1970s. The rise is partly due to rising popularity of package holidays to Europe from the late 1960s, and partly due to over exposure to the UV rays from the sun or use of sunbeds.

There are two main types of skin cancer: non-melanoma, which is the most common and easier to treat, and melanoma, which is more serious. According to Cancer Research UK, malignant melanoma incidence rates in the UK have increased more rapidly than any of today’s ten most common cancers. It is now the fifth most common cancer, with more than 2,000 dying from it each year. Treatment is more likely to be successful if melanoma is spotted early.

Rosaline Wong, a medical injury lawyer at Ashtons Legal, comments: “Skin cancer is one of the fastest rising cancers in the UK.  More than 250 people a week are told they have melanoma. If melanoma is diagnosed early the chance of cure is normally good but delay in diagnosing this condition can make a difference to the outcome as cancer can spread to other parts of the body.

Not all delay in diagnosing the condition is caused by the patient’s reluctance to seek medical advice. It can be due to poor awareness of melanoma. I dealt with a clinical negligence claim brought by a diabetic gentlemen who had a non-healing foot ulcer. Over the course of three years, the ulcer on his little toe mushroomed which led to amputation of his fourth and fifth toes. Despite repeated courses of antibiotics and hospital reviews, his wound remained raw and unhealed. Eventually melanoma was spotted by a surgeon during an unrelated hospital visit. Tissue removed from the affected area confirmed that he had melanoma but unfortunately by this stage the cancer had spread to his lungs and spine. He underwent further amputation and courses of palliative chemotherapy. Sadly in my client’s case, the diagnosis of melanoma came too late”.