May is being celebrated as skin cancer awareness month and oncologists are making people aware of the disease and the precautions one should take. It is being said that younger women are more at risk.
Oncologists are concerned about prevention of malignant melanoma, as the number of people dying because of the same is elevating unexpectedly.
Richard Marais, Professor of Molecular Oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research in London termed the disease “an epidemic”.
Prof. Richard said that cigarette and ultraviolet rays of sun, both are the part of same category as per the classification of World Health Organization, and that people are still not aware that in the name of "healthy tan" they are being offered cancer as both the cigarette and the sun tan are “carcinogen”.
Dr. James Larkin, Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London also expressed similar view and said that oncologists globally, were worried that message 'Don't burn' is not producing enough motivation in people regarding the harmful effects of tanning.
Dr. Larkin informed that young women are at unusually higher level of risks. He added that people who still are not ready to believe that Melanoma is vastly killing younger females; they should visit his clinic to see the results of tanning and the number of younger women dying of the deadliest skin cancer.
It is known that malignant melanoma is affecting 10,000 people and 2,000 people die annually in UK.
For being safe, it has been recommended that people should avoid prolonged direct sunlight and use sunscreen whenever in sun.