Cases of melanoma are on the rise, warn experts
Posted May 17, 2017 10:35 am.
Last Updated May 17, 2017 12:54 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – With lots of sun in the forecast this long weekend, you may be looking forward to spending some time working on your tan. But the nice weather, has prompted a serious warning from the Canadian Cancer Society which is reminding everyone to take some extra precautions.
The first thing the organization says to keep in mind is to pay attention to the UV index every day.
The society’s Robert Nuttall adds a measure of three or higher means you should cut back on how much time you spending catching the rays.
He says melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer, is on the rise in our country. “Over 78,000 people are going to be diagnosed every year with a non-melanoma type of skin cancer and almost 7,000 with the deadlier type of melanoma. But skin cancer is largely preventable and the biggest cause of skin cancer is the sun.”
A new survey done for the society and for Jamieson Vitamins finds more than 40 per cent of Canadians believe a tan is important to getting enough vitamin D. But, Nuttall says just a couple of minutes a day outside is all you need.
The survey also found younger Canadians are the least likely to pay attention to the UV index with 56 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds admitting they don’t pay attention to it compared to 33 per cent of those aged 55 and older.
“Nobody is safe from the sun. Canadians need to know how to protect their skin by checking the UV index daily, covering up, wearing sunscreen and using safer sources of vitamin D such as supplements and diet,” explains Nuttall.
Temperatures this weekend across the region are expected to be above 20 degrees.
