Skin cancer deaths among men double

In the past 30 years, death rates from the most fatal form of skin cancer have doubled, Cancer Research UK has revealed.

The charity warns many men are relying on their wives or partners to get them to use sunscreen.

While malignant melanoma cases have risen dramatically since the 1970s among both sexes, more men die from it.

In the late 1970s, fewer than 400 (1.5 per 100,000) men died from the disease but that figure is now more than 1,100 (3.1 per 100,000).

Among the over-65s, death rates among men have risen from 4.5 per 100,000 to 15.2 per 100,000 in the same period.

Meanwhile, death rates for women of all ages have risen more slowly from 1.5 per 100,000 to 2.2 per 100,000.

Data released in April showed people in their 60s and 70s are around five times more likely to be diagnosed with malignant melanoma than their parents were 30 years ago.

Many older people now experiencing skin cancer would have been enjoying cheap package holidays in the 1970s.

Caroline Cerny, Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart manager, said: “These figures show that a worryingly high number of men are dying unnecessarily from malignant melanoma because of the rapidly rising numbers diagnosed with the disease.

“Preventing the disease developing in the first place will help stop this trend and save lives.

“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.”

More than 10,400 cases of the deadly cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK.

The government’s care services minister, Paul Burstow, said: “The rise in skin cancer deaths among men is worrying and 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.”

Click here to see the Cancer Research UK Article

Have your say

You must sign in to make a comment.