Scientists from the University Hospital of La Timone found that 1.71% of the adult European general population reported having skin cancer, meaning some 7,304,000 Europeans are estimated to have the disease.
This is despite skin cancer being the most preventable cancer, since most cases are caused by damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
The research was presented at EADV’s Spring Symposium and was conducted by Marie-Aleth Richard et al.
In the study, the team surveyed 44,689 adults from 27 countries.
Almost half of the people surveyed (46.6%) who reported at least one skin cancer said they felt moderately or extremely anxious and depressed with anxiety and fear about surgical scars, death and metastasis being the main reason for an alteration in the quality of life.
While nearly half of patients said there was a negative impact on their personal life, almost three in five said they were impacted in their professional life.
The biggest result was a change in working hours or altering professional activity, but 22.6% said they did not get a hoped-for job and 31.3% refused a professional offer.
The team also found that a mole check or skin cancer screening was the main reason for patients consulting a dermatologist over the past 12 months, with over a fifth (22.3%) of appointments made with a skin specialist being to check a mole or lesion.
Of the people surveyed, 0.6% reported a diagnosis of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
However, keratinocyte carcinomas, which include basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, are by far the most widespread of all cancers and the most rapidly increasing with incidence expected to rise by over 40% until 2040.
The results showed the need for action to be taken to prevent skin cancer, which has a good prognosis if caught early but is perceived by the population as a serious and life-threatening condition.
If you care about skin health, please read studies about common drug that may protect you from skin cancer, and when you should see a dermatologist.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about vegetable oil linked to spread of cancer, and results showing new way to enable adult skin regenerates like a newborn’s.
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