More Australians are being diagnosed with skin cancer, prompting the urgent push for a national prevention campaign by Cancer Council Australia.
A new report reveals although there is a drop in melanoma rates in Australians aged younger than 40, the overall number of skin cancer cases continue to rise – despite skin cancer being the most preventable common cancer.
Cancer Council Australia chief executive officer Professor Sanchia Aranda says there has been a 63 per cent increase in melanoma hospitalisations in the past 11 years and 39 per cent for non-melanoma hospital visits.
“These statistics also emphasise the risks to individuals, including in relation to non-melanoma skin cancer – which many people see as something that’s just burned off by your GP,” he said.
“The reality is, more than 114,000 people end up hospitalised because of non-melanoma skin cancer.
“Given the rapid growth in skin cancer treatment costs, and mounting pressures on the health system as our population ages, there is an urgent need to get skin cancer prevention back on the federal agenda.
“A revived national skin cancer awareness campaign will help ensure that the next time one of these reports is released, skin cancer death rates will have continued to decline in younger generations and more Australians will be detecting skin cancer earlier, when it is easier to treat.”
