Skin cancer rates treble for package holiday generation

the number of over-55s diagnosed with potentially fatal skin cancer each year has passed the 10,000 mark for the first time, experts warned yesterday.

they said the ‘sun, sea and sangria’ generation was reaping the consequences of the Seventies’ package holiday boom.

Getting sunburn just once every two years can treble the risk of developing malignant melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, cancer research UK said.

It revealed that the number of over-55s being diagnosed with the condition has trebled in 20 years and is the fastest growing cancer across all ages.

the over-55s have been hit particularly hard because they were the first to take advantage of cheap flights to the Mediterranean 40 years ago.

at the time, few had any idea that the UV rays that gave them a ‘healthy tan’ were causing irreparable damage.

tumours can take 20 years or more to develop and many holidaymakers are paying the price for the hours spent in the sun abroad decades ago. the latest statistics from cancer research UK reveal there were 15,400 new cases of malignant melanoma in 2014 – more than double the number 20 years previously.

But among the over-55s, there were 10,600 new cases compared with 1994, when there were just 3,100 cases.

In Scotland, two-thirds of people diagnosed with malignant melanoma are now aged 55 or older. every year, 900 people in this age group are told they have this form of skin cancer.

across all age groups, the total is 1,300.

the incidence of the disease among Scots of 55 and over has risen from 24.8 per 100,000 people in 1993-95 to 53.1 per 100,000 in 2012-14. For the first time, around 150 people of this age group die of malignant melanoma each year north of the Border.

Overall, figures show that while 90 per cent of women survive for at least five years after being diagnosed, only 80 per cent of men do. the prognosis is worse for men because they tend to spot cancerous moles later than women, meaning their cancer will be more advanced by the time they see a specialist.

nick Ormiston-Smith, cancer research UK’s head of statistics, said: ‘It’s worrying that malignant melanoma rates are continuing to rise and it’s very important people take care of their skin in strong sun.’

the charity said that too many people were confused by conflicting public health messages that they need to protect themselves from sunlight, but also require a certain amount to get vitamin D.

Dr Julie Sharp, its head of health and patient information, said: ‘We all need some sun for vitamin D, but enjoying the sun safely and avoiding sunburn can reduce your risk of malignant melanoma.

‘the best way to protect skin when the sun is strong is to spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm, and to cover up with a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses.’

‘Enjoy the sun safely’