Melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK have reached an all-time high, with over 20,000 people diagnosed annually, according to new figures from Cancer Research UK. In 2022 alone, 20,980 new cases were identified, marking an unprecedented peak.
The charity has urged the public to prioritise sun safety ahead of a sunny bank holiday weekend, advising people to cover up and apply sunscreen diligently. Projections show annual diagnoses could rise to 26,500 by 2040, a 23 per cent increase for men and 26 per cent for women.
Women are more likely to be diagnosed at younger ages, often linked to sunbathing and sunbed use, while older men are more affected due to long-term sun exposure. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “It’s concerning to see the rising number of people being diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer across the UK. The fact that most of these cases are preventable underlines the importance of people taking sun safety seriously.”
Rebecca Dance, 44, from Wokingham, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma at age 39 after noticing a suspicious mole. She said: “There’s this perception that skin cancer only happens to people who use sunbeds or sunbathe. But I’m a normal person that’s just got very pale skin and a lot of moles and it happened to me, too.”
