The number of people diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in the UK has risen above 20,000 a year for the first time, according to new analysis from Cancer Research UK.<\/p>\n
The charity said 20,980 new melanoma cases were recorded annually across the UK, and warned the figure could rise to 26,500 cases a year by 2040.<\/p>\n
According to Cancer Research UK, the projected increase would represent a 23% rise in cases among men and a 26% increase among women over the next 15 years.<\/p>\n
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and is largely linked to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and sunbeds<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related Article: Cancer incidence increases among young adults in England<\/a><\/p>\n The charity said nearly nine in 10 melanoma cases in the UK were caused by too much UV radiation from the sun and sunbeds.<\/p>\n Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with melanoma at younger ages, while rates are higher among men later in life, according to analysis.<\/p>\n Cancer Research UK said higher rates in younger women were likely linked to sunbathing and sunbed use, while long-term sun exposure could contribute to higher rates among older men.<\/p>\n Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: ‘It’s concerning to see the rising number of people being diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer across the UK.<\/p>\n ‘The fact that most of these cases are preventable underlines the importance of people taking sun safety seriously.’<\/p>\n Cancer Research UK acknowledged that rising case numbers partly reflected the UK’s ageing population and greater awareness of melanoma, which may be contributing to increased diagnosis rates.<\/p>\n Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, described melanoma as ‘one of the most preventable cancers’.<\/p>\n