Irish skin cancer rates spiral 39% in decade

Irish skin cancer rates have risen by 39% in little over a decade, with sun exposure in childhood contributing to as many as 4,280 adult diagnoses every year.

The findings are revealed in a detailed analysis of trends over the past 20 years published by the National Cancer Registry of Ireland.

According to the report, which can be read online at irishexaminer.com, every year an average of 6,889 cases of “invasive skin cancer” are diagnosed in this country — the equivalent of 18 patients a day.