SKIN DEEP – Melanoma the Deadly Serious Cancer

Your SKIN protects you, so be Sun Smart and take good care of it.

Skin cancer is a big risk related to sun burning and regular UV exposure.

There are three main types of skin cancer and I would like to talk about the Malignant Melanoma. 

Australia and New Zealand have the highest rates of melanoma in the world.This is related to abundance of sun , damaged ozone layer , high sun exposure and predominantly northern european  population.

Over 12,500 people are estimated to be diagnosed with melanoma in Australia every year.  Most are superficial and if caught early, curable.

Melanoma is the third most common cancer in both men and women.

It accounts for 10% of all cancer diagnoses so it is very common.

One in 18 Australians will be diagnosed with melanoma before age 85, your risk significantly increases over age 65.

It is the most common type of cancer in young Australians aged 15–29, making up more than 25% of all cancer cases in this age group.

Melanoma has a genetic link and new research in this area is very exciting. Redheads and freckled people have a increased genetic risk for melanoma. This is because their genes are coded to produce immature melanin, which is lighter in colour and hence provides much less protection.