Skin cancer cases on the rise in Scotland

Published on Tuesday 28 April 2009 12:25

SKIN cancer rates are rising "significantly", new figures revealed today.

The number of cases has gone up by 50% among men within a decade, with increased exposure to sunlight a key factor in the rise.

The illness is the fourth most common cancer for women, with 543 cases in 2006 – a rise of 30% over the previous decade.

The 50% rise in men over this period resulted in 445 cases in 2006, making it the eighth most common cancer.

"Incidence rates continue to rise significantly," health service statisticians said today.

"The primary recognised risk factor for melanoma of the skin is exposure to sunlight, especially but not exclusively in childhood."

The number of women with breast cancer is also continuing to increase, being the most common cancer among women in 2006 with 4079 cases. The rate rose by 10% over the previous decade.

The rise is partly down to increased detection by the Scottish Breast Screening programme, which has seen a rise in attendance between 1996 and 2006.

But health service statisticians said today: "Increases in the incidence of breast cancer might also be anticipated with higher prevalence of known risk factors among the female population, such as increases in the mother's age at the birth of her first child, and increases in alcohol consumption."

Lung cancer remains the most common cancer in men but only marginally more than prostate cancer.

In 2006 there were 2509 cases of male lung cancer – down 22% on the previous ten years.

But the number of women with lung cancer has gone up by 5% over the decade, reflecting differing trends in smoking between men and women.

Lung cancer was the most common overall among both sexes in 2006.

There were three fewer cases of prostate cancer than male lung cancer in 2006 – but the number of men with prostate cancer between 1996 and 2006 rose by 14%.

Statisticians say this is at least partly due to increased detection through the prostate specific antigen test and not necessarily due to increased risk of developing the illness.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both males and females but rates have fallen in both sexes by approximately 10% over the past ten years.

Overall, about 13,100 males and 13,800 females were diagnosed with cancer – excluding non-melanoma skin cancer – in 2006.

These figures are similar to the previous year but in 1996-2006 the "age-standardised incidence rate" (differences in rates over time or between geographical areas not simply reflecting variations in age structure of populations) of cancer fell by 9% in males and by 3% in women.