Even though the melanoma rates in women are in decline globally, in men, the situation is different. According to a recent study, skin cancer death rates are on the rise in several countries. The new research, carried out by the Skin Foundation, was recently presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference in the United Kingdom.
The most severe form of skin cancer, melanoma, is causing more than 9,000 deaths per year in the United States, according to the Skin Foundation. Also according to the before-mentioned foundation, melanoma is more prevalent in fair-skinned people and sensitive skin types, as well, and is triggered primarily by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light.
“Despite public health efforts to promote awareness of melanoma and encourage sun-smart behaviors, melanoma incidence has been increasing in recent decades,” explained Dr. Dorothy Yang from the Royal Free London Hospital in London, and one of the scientists that participated in the new research that calculated the skin cancer death rates from several countries between 1985 and 2015.
Skin Cancer Death Rates Are On The Rise, According To A Recent Study
As the new study reported, skin cancer death rates increased by about 50% in more than eight countries around the world. Accordingly, in Croatia and Ireland, the melanoma death rates are about two times higher over the previous 30 years, while in Australia approximately six out of 100,000 men died from skin cancer between 2013 and 2015.
As for the United States, which has not been studied in this research, about a 25% increase in melanoma death rates in men has been recorded on the same period, according to the CDC.
“There is evidence that suggests men are less likely to protect themselves from the sun or engage with melanoma awareness and prevention campaigns. There is also ongoing work looking for any biological factors underlying the difference in mortality rates between men and women,” explained Dr. Yang.
