Skin Cancer in Australia

From Sydney to Port Hedland and from Perth to Townsville, Australia is well known for its diverse landscapes, beautiful places to visit, friendly locals, and for the many amazing experiences it can offer for people to take off their bucket lists. However, this country is also well known to have the highest rates of certain types of skin cancer worldwide, being an increasingly alarming problem for national health care services.

Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells resulting in malignant tumors. Most skin cancers are due to repeated exposure of the skin to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays without using proper protection.

5% of skin cancers are melanomas (uncontrolled growth of melanocytes), and the other 95% include basal cell carcinoma (involvement of basal cells) or squamous cell carcinoma (multiplication of squamous cells). Both of these carcinomas are known as non-melanoma skin cancers.

In this case, the sooner the skin cancer is identified and treated, the better the outcome. This is why it is very important to regularly visit a health care provider for advice and early detection, especially when finding some skin changes that might suggest malignancy, which can include:

  • New spots, freckles, or moles with uncommon and rapidly changing characteristics.
  • Old skin marks that change their characteristics and adopt uncommon ones.
  • Sores or scars that do not heal nor respond to conventional treatments for a long period of time.

As per its causes, skin cancer is primarily found in regions where the population is excessively exposed to UV radiation from the sun, causing damage to the DNA content located inside of skin cells. If the body’s internal physiology is not capable of repairing this damage, then errors in cell replication can appear, leading to the growth of abnormal cells, which can possibly become cancer cells.

This is important for people to know because Australia has a widely spread tanning culture associated with recreational sport and exercise-oriented lifestyles, which can explain its high rates shown in this field.

The increase in popularity of solariums and tanning salons in the country have increasingly elevated skin cancer ciphers, leading to more than 1,700 deaths due to cutaneous malignant melanoma in 2016 and far more patients with non-melanoma skin cancers, but with 560 deaths in the same year due to their lower mortality characteristics.

These high rates in Australians can be explained if some factors are considered, including:

  • Lack of protective pigmentation, making the skin of most Australians more prone to skin lesions.
  • Closer proximity to the equator, which increases the amount of sun received, especially in regions such as Queensland.
  • Closer proximity to the sun when this is strongest, leading to an increase of UV rays in the southern hemisphere.
  • Lower pollution levels and clearer air, making UV rays enter more easily through the atmosphere in the southern hemisphere.

Skin cancer in Australia can also be viewed through the economic impact of the disease, which has been a significant burden for its health care public system. In recent years, mainly due to the high expenditure demanded by the treatment of skin cancer patients, a part of the funds belonging to the health system have also been destined to the research of better diagnostic methods, as well as to the promotion of diverse prevention recommendations in the general Australian community, in order to improve the incidence of this malignant pathology or, in the case of diagnosing it, to do it at early stages, improving its outcome.

With this in mind, common skin cancer prevention advice include:

  • Use protective clothing, covering as much skin as possible.
  • Apply a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB), water-resistant SPF30+ sunscreen 20 minutes before going out and every 2 hours afterward or after swimming or excessive sweating.
  • Use a hat capable of protecting the face, head, neck, and ears.
  • Use sunglasses that wrap around and meet Australian standards.
  • Whenever possible, seek shade, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM.
  • Avoid tanning, and never use UV tanning beds.
  • Do not get sunburned and if it happens, apply moisturizer and herbal components like aloe vera to help the skin regenerate properly.
  • Examine your skin from the head to the toes every month.
  • Consult a dermatologist at least once a year for a professional opinion.