THIS COMMON SKIN CANCER IS RISING FASTER IN WOMEN, NEW AUSSIE STUDY WARNS
If sunscreen is the step you sometimes skip in your morning skincare routine, new research on skin cancer in women might just change your mind.
A major international study led by Brisbane's QIMR Berghofer has found that a common type of skin cancer is rising faster in women than in men across generations.
The research, released on November 11, has been published in the British Journal of Dermatology.
The skin cancer you may not have heard of
Most of us know about melanoma, but this study looked at cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, often shortened to SCC.
SCC is far more common than melanoma, yet it gets less attention because it is not routinely recorded in most cancer registries.
Tasmania is the only Australian state or territory that routinely registers both SCC and basal cell carcinoma.
That made its records especially valuable for the researchers.
What the study found
The team analysed cancer registry data from 1989 to 2020 across seven populations: Tasmania, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Scotland and the Netherlands.
In five of the seven, women showed substantially bigger generation by generation increases in SCC than men.
In Tasmania, women born in 1984 had about four times the risk of SCC as women born in 1959, after allowing for age and time period.
The researchers caution that the estimates for younger women are based on fewer cases and shorter follow up, so they should not be read as a lifetime risk.
Another striking finding was that, in Tasmania, SCC rates overtook melanoma rates from about the age of 42.
In Finland and Norway, that crossover did not happen until around 72.
Men still have higher overall rates of SCC than women, but women's rates have been climbing more steeply.
Lead researcher Dr Catherine Olsen said the team was surprised to see the faster rise in women, and stressed that this is a preventable cancer.
Senior author Professor David Whiteman described the findings as "almost like a flag going up".
He said almost all SCC cases are thought to be caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Why women's skin cancer risk may be climbing
The study looked at whole populations, so it cannot prove why individual women are affected.
The researchers linked SCC to cumulative lifetime exposure to UV radiation, which Xinhua reported includes changes in how people spend time in the sun for leisure and work.
They also said better record keeping was unlikely to explain the consistent differences between men and women.
Making sun protection part of your beauty routine
The silver lining is that prevention is simple, and it fits neatly into the skincare routine you already have.
The researchers suggest protective clothing, seeking shade and using sunscreen to reduce your risk.
Make a broad spectrum, SPF 50 sunscreen or SPF moisturiser the last step of your morning skincare, every day, not just at the beach.
Remember the often forgotten spots: ears, the back of the neck, the backs of your hands and the tops of your feet.
A wide brimmed hat and good quality sunglasses are both practical and stylish summer accessories.
Reapply sunscreen regularly when you are outdoors, especially after swimming, sweating or towelling off.
Try to plan walks, gardening and outdoor exercise for earlier or later in the day when the sun is less fierce.
Know your skin and check it often
Get to know your skin, including freckles, moles and any rough or scaly patches.
If you notice a new spot, or one that changes, bleeds or does not heal, book an appointment with your GP.
The Cancer Council has free information on sun protection and checking your skin.
With summer just around the corner, there has never been a better time to make sun care a non negotiable part of your beauty routine.
