People 'must be aware of sun dangers'
People need to be aware of the danger posed by the sun when they head away on holiday, according to one expert.
Bevis Man, communications and press officer for the British Skin Foundation, said that many people will be travelling away during the Easter holidays or be preparing for a summer trip to the sun, but the majority of people do not realise just how deadly the sun can be.
His comments followed the publication of a new report by Cancer Research UK which shows that people in their 60s and 70s are now over five times more likely to be diagnosed with malignant melanoma, which is the deadliest type of skin cancer, than their parents would have been 30 years ago.
According to the statistics, released in conjunction with the launch of the organisation's 2010 SunSmart campaign, this generation has seen the biggest increase in incidence rates of melanoma, rising from seven cases per 100,000 people in the mid 1970s to 36 cases per 100,000 in 2009.
Mr Man said that the fact that so many people continue to die from malignant melanoma and diagnosis of the disease remains at such a high level in the UK is a "clear indication" that there is still a "long way to go" when it comes to sun safety and awareness.
"The difficulty we face is actually getting the public to take action and protect themselves when heading out in the sun. People are aware of the dangers, but often choose to ignore it," he explained.
Posted by James McCann
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