Chapter 2: Skin Cancer Prevention
2 Skin Cancer Prevention 2.1 Skin cancer is often described as Australia’s ‘national cancer’,1 yet in 95 to 99 per cent of cases, it is a preventable disease.2 Although an overall increase in the incidence of skin cancer in Australia’s ageing population is likely, current trends indicate that mortality rates are likely to decrease. This decrease is attributed to long-term prevention activities, particularly those prevention activities which target younger Australian generations.3 2.2 This chapter examines incidence and prevalence trends, the common misconceptions and misunderstandings of the disease as well as the primary prevention activities which seek to reverse those trends. What is skin cancer? 2.3 The term skin cancer covers two groups of skin lesions: melanoma of the skin (melanoma) and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Melanoma is the more serious as it can ‘metastasise’4 and lead to the spread of secondary cancers throughout the body.5 According to Melanoma Institute Australia, melanoma is the fourth most common form of cancer in 1 Mr Gordon Gregory, Executive Director, National Rural Health Alliance, Official Committee Hansard, Canberra, 25 March 2014, p. 1; Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Limited, Submission 32, p. 3; Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group, Submission 47.1, p. 2; Melanoma Institute Australia, Submission 58, p. 1. 2 Department of Health, Submission 12, p. 4; Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, Submission 20, p. 2.; Cancer Council Australia and Clinical Oncology Society of Australia, Submission 26, p. 4. 3 Department of Health, Submission 12, p. 4. 4 The term metastasise refers to the spreading of these cells beyond the site of the original tumour.
[Show full text]