A third of Irish people are ‘not at all worried’ about skin cancer, worrying new research has revealed.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland and claims over 230 lives each year. Meanwhile, a survey of 1,000 adults conducted by Core Research on behalf of the Irish Cancer Society during Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May, has also found that 3 in 10 people never check their skin for signs of cancer.
The Irish Cancer Society has recently spoken out about a ‘catchup phenomenon’ where patients have delayed getting warning signs of cancer checked due to the pandemic. As with all cancers, catching skin cancer early is vital for patients to have the best outcome possible. Commenting on the research Dr Bláithín Moriarty, Dermatologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital, said: “If people notice the signs of skin cancer early treatment can be very straightforward with a low-risk surgical procedure.
However, as a skin cancer such as melanoma develops into later stages the survival rate drops significantly from almost 100% when caught at stage 1 to approximately 20% at stage 4, and treatment becomes much more difficult.
