The incidence of skin cancer among adults under 50 in Sweden is now showing a decrease for the first time, according to a recent study.
A recent study indicates that the likelihood of developing skin cancer, specifically malignant melanoma, is declining in Sweden, at least for those under the age of 50.
According to Hildur Helgadottir, senior consultant and associate professor of oncology at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, “We’ve noticed a significant change in young adults starting around 2015, where the incidence rates are going down.”
Helgadottir and her team examined data from the Swedish Melanoma Registry, tracking the incidence and mortality of melanoma across different age groups over time. This involved comparing individuals of the same age at different times.
The findings reveal that while new cases among those over 50 are consistently rising, the rates for those under 50 began to decline around 2015.
“This marks the first time we have observed this trend in Sweden, making us the first European nation to report a decrease,” states Hildur Helgadottir.
Regarding mortality rates, there has also been a downturn for individuals up to 59, but not for those aged 60 and above. Helgadottir attributes the declining mortality among younger individuals to a drop in the incidence of the disease along with the introduction of new cancer treatments that have improved its prognosis. She notes that the lack of decline in the elderly population may be due to the ongoing high incidence of the disease in this age group.
“The question arises as to why the risk of melanoma has diminished,” she says.
“While we haven’t directly analyzed the causes in our study, we do have hypotheses regarding factors that may have played a role,” Helgadottir notes.
She identifies four key factors:
Firstly, there is heightened awareness about sun safety.
“The initial national ‘Sun Safe’ campaign in the 1990s focused on the importance of protecting children from sun exposure. We believe that about 20 years later, this has contributed to a decline in melanoma cases among young adults,” explains Helgadottir.
The second factor is the significant drop in access to tanning beds. Since 2018, a minimum age limit of 18 has been enforced for using sunbeds, although the number of public tanning beds had already been decreasing prior to this.
The third factor is the rising use of mobile phones and computers, leading to children and teenagers spending more time indoors and receiving less sun exposure than previous generations.
Lastly, increased immigration has brought more people with darker skin types to Sweden, who generally tolerate sun exposure better.
“It is essential to maintain our efforts in promoting sun protection so that the observed decline in melanoma cases among younger individuals continues, and to hope that eventually there will also be a decrease in older populations,” states Hildur Helgadottir.
She emphasizes the ongoing importance of sun safety, especially with the unusually warm and sunny September we’re experiencing. “From April to September, the sun can be quite strong, and caution is advisable,” she concludes.
