Over the last decade, the annual cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, have increased by nearly 50% to over 287,000. This translates to more than 60,000 melanoma- related deaths per year.

​

Add to these figures the current incidence and mortality rates for non-melanoma skin cancers, and we can see why dermatologists believe skin cancer should now be seen as a global epidemic.

 

Official figures from the World Health Organization estimate that there are currently over one million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer each year. However, with many countries not officially recording cases of non-melanoma skin cancer, the real incidence is widely thought to run into several

​

For a cancer that can usually be beaten if caught early, this statistic is shocking. More shocking though are the projections for skin cancer over the next 20 years. The latest data from the WHO predicts  that,  by  2025,  the  number  of  deaths resulting from melanoma will increase by 20%, rising to 74% by 2040.