What types of skin cancer are there?
There are two main types of skin cancer; malignant melanoma (cancer in moles), and the non-melanoma group (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma). Each year approximately 1 in every 10,000 people in the UK will develop a new case of malignant melanoma. It accounts for about 1500 deaths annually in the UK. Sun radiation is a contributing factor in 90 per cent of all cases of skin cancer. People of all ages can get skin cancer, but it is rarely seen in children. People who are exposed to large quantities of sun radiation can develop skin cancer as early as 20-30 years of age, but the disease is much more common in elderly people. Symptoms and treatment depend on what type of cancer it is. The female to male ratio is 2:1, and it is most commonly seen (50 per cent) on the lower leg. What is malignant melanoma? Malignant melanoma is a type of skin cancer that begins in the skin’s ‘pigmentation system’, ie the skin layer that becomes tanned in the summer. Melanomas usually start in moles or
