According to Cancer Research UK, more than 80% of melanoma cases could be prevented by avoiding sunburn.
Sunburn is a clear sign that the DNA in your skin cells have been damaged by too much UV radiation. The often-painful symptoms of sunburn indicate your body’s attempt to repair the damage caused by the sun. Even a single sunburn increases your risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer: Experts warn that one severe sunburn during the first 15 years of life can double the risk of skin cancer.
The number of people in the world who develop melanoma is increasing each year. The SA Melanoma Advisory Board reports that this number has more than doubled in the past 20 years.
Almost all skin cancers (approximately 99% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 95% of melanoma, according to the Australian Cancer Council) are caused by too much UV radiation from the sun or other sources including sunbeds and sun lamps.
Skin cancer develops in the cells in the top layer of the skin, the epidermis. UV radiation includes both UVA and UVB rays which are able to penetrate the skin and cause permanent damage to the cells below.
If the body is unable to repair this damage the cell can begin to divide and grow in an uncontrolled way. This growth can eventually form a tumour.
Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers can be invasive as they grow across the surface of the skin and sometimes down through the layers of skin. If the tumour grows through the wall of a blood or lymph vessel, cancer cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body. This is why it’s vital to check and detect skin cancer early.
South Africa has the second highest incidence of skin cancer in the world after Australia.
Those most at risk include people with fair skin, light eyes and hair, and those with a personal or family history of skin cancer. But all people can get skin cancer, including those with dark skins.
SA also has one of the highest incidence of malignant melanoma in the world, with 1 in 196 people being diagnosed annually with most of these people between the ages of 20 and 40.
People of all ages should limit the amount of time they spend in the sun, especially between mid-morning and late afternoon, and avoid other sources of UV radiation, such as tanning beds. It is important to keep in mind that UV radiation is reflected by sand, water, snow, and ice and can penetrate windshields and windows.
Prevention is always better than cure. Skin cancer is easy to cure, if diagnosed and treated early.
Adopt these sun-safe strategies to protect your skin from the sun:
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you can register on the Discovery Health Medical Scheme’s Oncology Programme. To do this, you or your treating doctor must send us a copy of your laboratory results confirming your diagnosis. Call Discovery Health on 0860 99 88 77 for assistance.
Sources:
SA Melanoma Advisory Board, Annals of Internal Medicine June 2013, The Skin Cancer Foundation (US), the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, JAMA Dermatology, The Cancer Association of South Africa, Cansa.