PEOPLE in the regions, especially men, have been urged to stay vigilant about sun protection over summer, as data shows melanoma diagnoses are on the rise.
Cancer Council Victoria’s SunSmart program found people living in regional areas and men are more likely to be diagnosed.
According to Cancer Council Victoria’s annual Victorian Cancer Registry, 3182 Victorians (1860 males and 1320 females) were diagnosed with melanoma in 2023, up from 2884 new cases in 2022.
It found 1205 of these new cases came out of regional Victoria, where people are 54 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than Victorians living in major cities.
Cancer Council Victoria head of SunSmart Emma Glassenbury said exposure to the sun’s UV radiation accounted for most melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, capable of spreading to vital organs like the brain, lungs and liver.
“The good news is melanoma is one of the most preventable cancers, yet it remains the fifth most common in Victoria, accounting for 8 per cent of all new cancer diagnoses in 2023,” Ms Glassenbury said.
“We think the Victorian rise in reported melanoma detection may be partially explained by the growing and ageing population in Victoria and fewer cases during COVID-19, so we are seeing larger numbers of melanoma now with a 10 per cent rise in cases between 2022-2023.”
Ms Glassenbury said that while numbers reported by VCR were compelling, they were just the “tip of the iceberg,” and did not capture the 164,737 treatments for other forms of skin cancer in Victoria in 20231.
“While less deadly than melanoma, treatment of basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas often still involve confronting surgical procedures and place a significant financial burden on the Victorian health system,” Ms Glassenbury said.
The latest VCR report showed the rate of melanoma among Victorians aged 25-49 had declined by 52 per cent since 1997 – coinciding with a generation of Victorians who grew up with iconic SunSmart “slip slop slap” messaging from the 1980s, now expanded to include slide (on sunglasses) and seek (shade).
