With skin cancer accounting for about one-quarter of all new cancer cases diagnosed in Ireland each year, one campaign is highlighting the importance of prevention and early detection. Hélène Hofmanreports
Protecting your skin, and particularly that of your children, is key to preventing skin cancer from developing, according to the Irish Cancer Society's latest awareness campaign.
The annual SunSmart campaign was officially launched yesterday to encourage both adults and children to cover up and protect their skin in the summer months.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the State. Preliminary figures show that 562 cases of melanoma skin cancers were diagnosed here in 2004, as well as 6,226 cases of non-melanoma skin cancers, which is a malignant growth on the external (epithelial) layer of the skin.
Those figures are above the EU average for skin cancer in general, while the rate of malignant melanoma in the State is the third highest in the EU.
"Irish people have a very fair skin type, one of the fairest in the world," explains Dr Gillian Murphy, consultant dermatologist at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
"The colour of your skin determines how well you tan - white skin burns easily, black skin doesn't. That's why we have one of the highest rates of skin cancer in Europe."
According to Murphy, 90 per cent of skin cancer cases are caused by overexposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays and are, therefore, preventable if the proper precautions are taken.
UV rays penetrate the skin's layers causing permanent damage to DNA and resulting in premature ageing and skin cancer. Even a slight redness of the skin is a sign that it has been damaged. This damage is irreversible and each year the damage done to your skin accumulates, so protecting your child's skin early on is essential.
Children spend more time outdoors than adults and most people will get 80 per cent of their exposure to the sun in their early years. On average, a child gets three times more sunrays than an adult.
"You need to avoid sunburn in early childhood. It sets the stage for skin cancer in later life," says Murphy.
"Young people need to realise that there is a lag between what you do now and what will develop in later life. We are much more informed now and parents do tend to be more careful with their kids.
"But people are caught out by the climate here, it can be difficult to anticipate," she says.
"We did a survey in Beaumont hospital and found that the majority of people with skin cancer hadn't gone abroad. When you're on holidays you take more precautions. The danger is when the weather is cool here and you think you won't be damaged. Even on a cloudy day, when there's a light breeze you can come back from a walk with a red face," says Murphy.
To minimise the skin's exposure to UV rays and prevent sunburn, the Irish Cancer Society recommends wearing a hat and regularly and generously applying a sun cream with UVA and UVB protection and a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 from March until October. It is also advisable to avoid unnecessary harmful UV rays, such as sun beds.
"Children love being outside but put that extra thought into it. A foreign legion style cap with a flap at the back is ideal. Keep their T-shirt on, and on Irish beaches the lycra suits with the long sleeves that protect them from UV rays are ideal. Wearing a hat and good quality T-shirt yourself is also a good idea," she says.
Although prevention is important, according to Murphy, early detection is also vital.
"Malignant melanoma, which is one type of skin cancer, can kill relatively young people and that's on the increase. This kind of cancer spreads so you must catch it at an early stage," she says.
"It is curable, that's the good news - you just need to catch it early."
Melanoma is a dark-pigment tumour which arises from a skin cell capable of making the pigment melanin.
"Have a look to see if you have moles - these are little small, round spots less than half a centimetre in diameter - anything bigger than a shirt button should be checked out.
"Americans say to look out for the ugly duckling - a mole that may be a strange size, shape or colour and may get bigger. The key thing is to look out for any changes," she says.
On average, malignant melanoma develops around the age of 50, but it can in some cases be found in older children. The risk of developing it increases as you get older.
"In the first 30 years of life you acquire moles. New moles as a kid or in your teens are normal. Over the age of 30 new moles and changes are not allowed and need to be checked out. Once you're over 60 moles tend to go away again," she says.
Two other, more common types of non-melanoma skin cancer - squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell cartenoma - usually develop later in life. These cause lumps to form on the skin that may break or bleed.
"Many patients are horrified when they find out they have skin cancer because they didn't feel anything.
"You could have skin cancer and not see anything. People expect it to hurt and itch but it might not. It just might be the look of them that's different," she says.
"The important thing is not to assume with any new lumps or bumps - get them checked out. Early prevention does lead to a better chance of a cure."
For more information contact the Irish Cancer Society's Cancer Information Service on Freefone 1800- 200700 (Weekdays 9am-5pm, Tuesdays until 9pm) or by e-mail helpline@irishcancer.ie