Skin Cancer News: Rising Skin Cancer Cases Among Retirees Noted Amid Holiday Boom

The "worrying rise" in skin cancers among pensioners has been partly blamed by the Cancer Research UK to the boom in cheap package holidays in the 1960s.

Statistics show that 5,700 of those over 65 are diagnosed with the condition yearly, a steep growth in the number from only 600 in the mid-1970s, according to a BBC report.

Cases are increasing across all age groups but the fastest rise is in the pensioners' category, the report said.

Although all ages are at risk, the cancer research and awareness charity said many older people would not have been aware of how to protect themselves decades ago. Often, skin cancer can be avoided by covering up and avoiding sunburn.

"As people are living longer, more people are reaching an age where they are at a higher risk," Johnathon Major, from the British Association of Dermatologists, said. "Interest in package holidays and in fashion tanning are among the reasons that more people are developing skin cancer."

"But it's crucial to remember that you don't have to go on holiday or use a sun bed to heighten your risk. Skin cancers can develop as a result of both short-term and long-term overexposure to the sun's rays within the UK," he said.

Yearly, around 13,300 people in the U.K. are found to have malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, and 2,100 lives are lost to the disease.

Getting sunburnt even once every two years can increase the chances of developing malignant melanoma, according to research.

"You can burn at home just as easily as you can on holiday, so remember to spend time in the shade, wear a T-shirt and a hat to protect your skin and regularly apply sunscreen that is at least factor 15 and has four stars," said Dr. Julie Sharp, head of health information at the CRUK.

People should remain vigilant for any changes in their skin, said Professor Richard Marais, also from CRUK.

"It is important that people keep an eye on their skin and seek medical opinion if they see any changes to their moles or even to normal areas of skin," he said. "Melanoma is often detected on men's backs and women's legs but can appear on any part of the body."