Concerns raised over skin cancer delays as Scots ignore warning signs

Published on Saturday 5 December 2009 18:53

ONE-QUARTER of skin cancer sufferers in Scotland waited well over two months before getting a doctor to check out their symptoms, a new study has revealed.

On average skin cancer sufferers waited for almost a month before seeking help, a delay that compared unfavourably with the time it took people to see a GP when they suspected having breast, cervical or bladder cancer.

Analysis of data on 12,294 Scottish patients diagnosed with cancer last year, revealed that patients were far better at picking up the warning signs for some particular cancers (breast, cervical or bladder) than they were for others (skin, head and neck, and colorectal).

When it came to skin cancer (malignant melanoma) a quarter of the sample waited 70 days before going to a doctor.

Breast cancer patients waited for about a week, although a quarter delayed for about a month, while bladder cancer sufferers waited on average just two days. Those anxious about cervical cancer waited about a week. Those with suspected colorectal cancer waited an average of 21 days, with a quarter waiting two months.

Dr Paul Baughan, a GP in Dollar and one of the study's authors, said the results showed the importance of checking for signs of skin cancer.

"People generally know if they have a lump or if they are bleeding from somewhere in the case of bladder or colorectal cancer. But despite all the publicity and advertising, people do not check moles or skin lesions regularly enough," he said.

"Some people do not ask for help until the mole has changed dramatically.

"You're looking for something that's changed in size or shape, or if it becomes irregular or larger or changes in colour. It is something that people should keep an eye on because it really doesn't take long for a doctor to examine them.

"In most cases, they can reassure the patient that he or she has got the all-clear or the patient may be referred to a skin clinic."

The study, which examines cancer patients from the time they notice symptoms throughout their treatment, is the first and largest of its kind conducted in Scotland.

Its publication coincides with new Scottish legislation coming into force banning the sale or hire of a sunbed.

The Public Health Act, passed by MSPs last year, also outlaws unstaffed tanning salons, which are coin-operated. Under the new laws, operators are required to provide users with information about the health risks of sunbed use.

Skin cancer claimed the lives of more than 170 Scots last year and is the most common cancer in young adults aged between 15 and 34. Experts think increased use of sunbeds is fuelling a rise in cases, along with excessive exposure to the sun.