Skin cancer diagnoses have hit a record high in the UK. A staggering 20,800 people are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma this year in the UK, according to new findings by Cancer Research. Rates of melanoma have increased by almost a third over a decade, from 21 to 28 per 100,000 people from 2009 to 2019.
Among those aged 80 or over, there was a 57% rise, while among 25 to 49-year-olds, there was a 7% increase. Despite these ever-increasing rates, the UK charity believes 17,000 melanoma cases every year are preventable, with almost nine in 10 caused by too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Anyone can get skin cancer, and it’s expected that a huge 26,500 of us will be receiving a diagnosis each year by 2040, meaning we need to be diligent when it comes to spotting the warning signs.
Yes, we might live in the UK where it’s miserable most days, but the sun can still do significant damage, whether you’re out and about here or abroad. Symptoms of melanoma include a change to a mole, freckle or a normal patch of skin, but how do we know if it’s something to be concerned about? Dr Sagar Patel, a dermatology specialist at MyHealthcare Clinic, said: ‘Unfortunately, the UK is way behind countries such as Australia and the United States when it comes to awareness of moles. ‘While regular mole-mapping is very common in other parts of the world, many Brits simply ignore changes in their skin.
‘Granted, we don’t have the same warm climate, but you don’t need high tempe.
