Melanoma incidence rises by seven percent in Spain each year
Those most affected are young, in their late twenties
Skin cancer is on the rise in Spain. Out of every 100,000 Spaniards, two will develop melanoma each year. The incidence is rising each year by seven percent, medical experts said on Monday.
If the condition is not detected in a reasonable time frame, the chances for a successful course of treatment are much lower. "It has a very surprising capacity to become metastatic quickly," said Miguel Sánchez Viera, head of the skin cancer unit at USP San Camilio Hospital.
The mortality rate is higher among people over 50. But melanoma affects mostly those aged between 25 and 29.
Experts recommend the use of sun creams with a protection factor of at least 30, while US authorities have ruled that those products with a factor of 15 or less should remove the word "protection" from the package.
