Most men do not check their skin for cancer and nearly half do not even know what to look for.
A survey by the UK’s Institute of Cancer Research’s SAFE campaign found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of men do not regularly check their skin for signs of skin cancer and, more alarmingly, that nearly half (45%) do not know the signs or symptoms of skin cancer. The SAFE survey found that men consistently fall behind women when it comes to protecting themselves from the harmful effects of UV rays and checking their skin for any changes which could be associated with skin cancer.
The number of men dying from malignant melanoma continues to rise, whilst the number of women dying from the disease is starting to fall. However, more than 800 women and 900 men in the UK are still dying each year from the disease.
Dr Richard Marais from The Institute of Cancer Research said: These findings are shocking, skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers yet it seems that many men and women are still not getting the message about the importance of protecting and checking themselves. It is imperative that everyone protects their skin when they are in the sun, whether they are in the UK or abroad, and regularly checks their skin and moles for abnormal changes. If the most deadly form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, is caught in its early stages the majority of cases can be cured. However if it is not found until later, when it has spread, it is much more difficult to treat and the survival rate after 5 years is less than 5%.’
The SAFE Campaign is working in partnership with UK high street retailer Superdrug and with the support of supermodel Cindy Crawford.
