Skin cancer concerns

An upward trend of melanoma cases is being seen across all age groups, with Cancer Research UK warning people against forgoing sun protection this summer.

Analysis has shown that melanoma skin cancer rates have increased by a third over the last 10 years, with researchers projecting a record-high number of cases in the UK this year; 20,800.

The age group with the biggest rise was adults over 80 years old, with a 57 per cent increase over the last decade, but rates in young adults aged 25-49 have also seen an increase – seven per cent in the last 10 years.

It is important to note that around 17,000 cases of melanoma each year are preventable and this remains the most crucial step in fighting the disease, a sentiment endorsed by Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK: “It’s vital that people try to reduce their risk of getting the disease in the first place.”