Skin cancer: how great is the risk?

The term "skin cancer" encompasses various cancerous diseases of the skin. The most common of these are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell cancer, which are also described as "non-melanoma cancers". The third most common type of skin cancer is malignant melanoma.

Most common type of cancer - in many cases curable

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Germany with well over 200,000 new cases a year. However, it only accounts for one per cent of all cancer-related deaths. Around 328 people in every 100,000 develop skin cancer every year. 290 of these are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancers, which in most cases are curable. The other 38 are found to have the more dangerous malignant melanoma. However, since this type of skin cancer is often detected in its early stages, most of these cases are also treated successfully.

Non-melanoma skin cancer: patient numbers rising

Germany does not keep nationwide records of cases of non-melanoma skin cancer. However, it is estimated that around 156,000 people develop basal cell carcinoma and around 98,000 develop squamous cell carcinoma every year. While basal cell carcinoma affects men and women more or less equally, squamous cell carcinoma more frequently occurs in men. The risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer rises significantly from the age of 50.

The number of new cases has increased markedly in recent years. This conclusion was drawn by a study in which scientists evaluated cancer register data from Schleswig-Holstein and Saarland: in Saarland, the number of cases rose by a factor of 10 to 22 between 1970 and 2012.  In Schleswig-Holstein, numbers doubled in just 13 years (between 1999 and 2012).

Malignant melanoma: patients are becoming younger

The number of new melanoma cases has also risen and is now about five times as high as it was in the 1970s. Around 21,000 people develop the disease every year, while around 3,000 deaths per annum can be traced back to malignant melanoma. Although the risk of developing the disease increases with age, younger people are being affected more and more frequently: 20-year-old melanoma patients are no longer a rarity.

Generally speaking, almost all cases of malignant melanoma can be treated successfully provided the disease is caught in its early stages. However, the later the tumour is diagnosed, the less likely it is to be cured.

Source: Robert Koch Institute, 2017: Cancer in Germany 2013/2014.

Example: according to the statistics, one in every 260 men aged 55 will develop malignant melanoma over the next ten years.

How high is my personal risk of developing skin cancer?

Statistics reflect frequencies but can say nothing about an individual's personal risk. However, there are significant factors that promote the development of skin cancer. In general, you have a greater personal risk of developing the disease if...

• ...you were frequently exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation as a child, youth and adult. The most important risk factors for skin cancer include sunburn, particularly in childhood and adolescence, and exposure to intensive UV radiation from the sun and solarium. Scientific data has shown that squamous cell carcinoma is most commonly caused by constant UV radiation. Malignant melanoma is primarily caused by intermittent exposure to UV radiation, for example in the case of people who take annual holidays in the sun. It is believed that both constant and intermittent exposure to UV radiation are responsible for basal cell carcinoma.
• ...you have light skin. People with light to very light skin, freckles, blonde or red hair and green or blue eyes are believed to be particularly at risk. Their skin reacts more sensitively to UV radiation. At the height of summer, their skin usually burns after just 5 to 20 minutes in the sun.
• ... you have a lot of moles. The more moles you have on your body, the higher your risk of developing malignant melanoma. Experts believe that having more than 40 to 50 moles on your body increases your risk by a factor of 4.5.
• ... you have a first-degree relative with skin cancer. Heredity also appears to play a role. If your father or mother had skin cancer, you are at greater risk of developing the disease yourself - especially if they had malignant melanoma. Experts believe that the disease is inherited in 10 out of every 100 cases. External influences such as environmental pollution or how your family behaves in the sun may also be decisive.