Specialists agree on the importance of disseminating this information to educate the population.
Detailed plan of the skin cancer lesion. Photo: shutterstock.
The incidence of skin cancer worldwide is high and is expected to rise sharply over the next two decades, warned cancer epidemiologists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, who revealed in a report that at least 325,000 people all over the world He received a new diagnosis of skin cancer in 2020.
That’s why, if current trends continue, new cases are expected to increase by about 50% by 2040, and deaths from skin cancer are expected to increase by nearly 70%, according to Dr. Melina Arnold, a cancer organist. Surveillance Branch of the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France.
“Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer, and this epidemiological assessment has found a significant public health and economic burden, and our expectation is that it will remain so for decades to come,” they wrote in the study, published in JAMA Dermatology.
Regarding these findings, members of the Center for Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomic Research at the University of Arizona commented that the results are “realistic” but may greatly underestimate the severity of the problem in low- and middle-income countries.
Comments about the findings deepened the importance of talking about the issue, which is a public health problem, “particularly in places where skin cancer incidence and mortality are thought to be very low and for which preventive measures may be inadequate.”
They stressed the need to go beyond statistics: “Specially for skin cancer dataWhat is more important globally, that you know The exact number of cases The mortality or understand the order The current volume of epidemiology And the future? Certainly the latter. Skin cancer can be treated more easily if it is caught in the early stages.”
Projections such as those made by Arnold and colleagues can help raise awareness of the importance of reduction UV exposurewhich accounts for three-quarters of all incident melanomas, the editors said.
Dr. Hiram Ruiz about melanoma
The specialist considers melanoma to be “that mole that is in one place and does not look like another mole”, so it is necessary that the patient’s relatives see it and help create an alert to go to the doctor as soon as possible. as possible.
Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, forms in cells (melanocytes) that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. Skin cancer can also appear in the eyes and, rarely, inside the body, such as in the nose or throat.
The exact cause of all melanomas is not clear, but UV exposure (UV) light from sunlight or from lamps and tanning beds increases the risk of skin cancer. Limiting exposure to UV rays can help reduce the risk of skin cancer.
The risk of developing skin cancer appears to be increased in people under the age of 40, especially in women. Knowing the warning signs of skin cancer can help ensure that precancerous changes are detected and treated before the cancer spreads. Skin cancer can be treated successfully if caught early.