Skin cancer experts concerned over 'one of the hottest summers on record'
ITV Wales' Hamish Auskerry reports.
Chris Bryant MP, who revealed his melanoma had returned earlier this week, believes the disease came from being sunburned as a child and is now urging everyone to protect themselves from the sun.
It comes as a a new survey shows that nearly three-quarters of Welsh people aged 16-65 remember getting sunburnt as a child, with 59% of those saying they burned badly.
Charity Melanoma Focus says one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles your chances of developing melanoma skin cancer later in life.
With the Met Office predicting 2024 to be one of the hottest summers on record, skin cancer experts are concerned about the potential surge in excessive sun exposure.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and it’s on the rise in the UK. 1 in 36 men and 1 in 47 women in the UK will now be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in their lifetime.
Chris Bryant, who represents the Rhondda in Westminster, revealed his melanoma returned in his lung but that he is now cancer-free.
In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, Mr Bryant said he was given the news following his last scan in January this year.
He said: "For the last five years I have had scans, absolutely brilliant, every single one has come back clean.
"Unfortunately the very last one was meant to be in January this year and I was helping in the Kingswood by-election when my doctor rang me on my birthday to tell me 'I'm really sorry to say your latest scan has shown something in your right lung'.
"Two weeks later I was in the hospital bed. They put a robot in my lung. They cut a little bit out and it did turn out to be a melanoma in my lung.
"Not lung cancer, but skin cancer in my lung. In years gone by that might have been a death sentence but thanks to immunotherapy, which I'm now on, my prognosis, my chances of being cancer-free in 10-15 years' time are actually really good."
Mr Bryant was first diagnosed in 2019 and only discovered after getting a haircut. He has now urged people to protect themselves from the sun.
Speaking to ITV Cymru Wales, Mr Bryant said he was one of the children who was burned in his early years and blames this for his diagnosis.
He said: "We lived in Spain for five years of my life and back then when you went on holiday you covered up in olive oil to try and get sunburnt.
"Of course, we all joke about getting pink in the sun. I certainly did burn and I'm certain my melanoma today was something that had been sitting there for the last 50 years ever since I was sunburnt as a kid.
"So the really strong message is please, please, please avoid the sun between 11am and 3:30pm.
"Cover up and certainly use high factor sun cream if you are going to be out in the sun."
Professor Catherine Harwood, consultant dermatologist and Melanoma Focus trustee, said: "Damage from UV exposure increases your risk of skin cancer over time and sunburns during childhood or adolescence will increase the odds of developing melanoma later in life.
"Newborn babies have very delicate skin and they should be kept out of direct sunlight until they are at least six months old.
"Older babies and children should ideally be covered up or kept in the shade during the heat of the day and, when their skin is exposed, a high factor, broad spectrum sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before exposure and reapplied every two hours or after an activity that could remove sun cream, such as swimming.”
What is melanoma?
It is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.
Cancerous growths develop when un-repaired DNA damage to skin cells trigger defects that lead skin cells to multiply and form tumours.
The majority of melanomas are black or brown, but they can also be skin-coloured, pink, red, purple, blue or white.
Melanoma is caused mainly by intense, occasional UV exposure, especially in those who are genetically predisposed to the disease.
Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus, said: “We all need to take care of our skin but it's especially important to avoid burning in childhood.
“You can do this by seeking shade and using sun hats, sunglasses and sunscreen (SPF 30 or above) to cover up exposed skin, especially in the heat of the day.
“We recommend that, particularly for children, you do not use sun creams that claim to only need one daily application.
"These types of sun creams have been tested in controlled laboratory conditions where certain factors such as swimming, exercising and sweating have not been taken into account.
“Melanoma skin cancer is extremely serious and, despite it being largely preventable, we’re now in the situation where more people are dying from melanoma in the UK than in Australia.
"Protecting children from burning is the best way we can reduce their chances of developing melanoma in the future.”
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