Skin Cancer Rates Soar for Baby Boomers

Cancer Research UK says people in their 60s and 70s are far more likely to suffer from malignant melanoma than their parents.

The charity blames the sharp rise on skin damage the baby boomers suffered in their youth, when cheap foreign holidays first became available and sun beds became popular.

Caroline Cerny, the charity's SunSmart manager, said: "Back then we knew less about sunburn and how closely it's linked to the development of skin cancer. We thought it was part of getting a tan and nothing to worry about.

"Now we know that's not true. We know sunburn is a serious sign that your skin has been damaged, that your DNA has been damaged, and getting sunburn really increases your risk of getting malignant melanoma."

The charity's figures show that back in the 1970s just seven in every 100,000 older people developed the cancer.

Now that figure is up to 36 in every 100,000.

And by 2024 the rate is expected to have increased to 49 in every 100,000. That is up another third.

Sue Deans developed malignant melanoma in her early 60s and blames her love of the sun as a teenager.

"I used to get what I thought was a nice colour," she said.

"Sometimes I overdid it. My skin would peel and I'd pick it off. That's what we did in those days. We did not think of the damage we were doing."

More than 10,000 people a year are diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Around 2,000 die.

Cancer Research UK says melanoma can be largely prevented by using sunscreen and seeking shade in the middle of the day.