Share:
Increasing UV radiation number of skin cancer patients has risen sharply
More and more people in Germany have to be treated for a skin cancer disease in the hospital. According to health experts, many tumors could be avoided - and often detected earlier.
More and more skin cancers
The number of skin cancer cases has risen sharply in recent years. According to the German Cancer Society, up to 200,000 people a year worldwide contract skin cancer. The German Cancer Aid expects a higher number of 234,000 new cases, with more than 20,000 diagnoses of the dangerous "black" skin cancer. But the white skin cancer can be dangerous if left untreated. The fact that more people suffer from this type of cancer is also shown by the number of patients who need to be treated in a hospital because of this.
In Germany, more and more patients with skin cancer have to be treated in hospitals. Many of the diseases could be avoided. (Image: M.Dörr & M.Frommherz / fotolia.com) Men had to be treated at the clinic more often than women
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the number of skin cancer treatments in the hospital increased by 17.1% between 2010 and 2015.
According to the experts, in 2015 a total of 100,400 patients were hospitalized with this disease. Hospital treatment was more necessary in men (57%) than in women (43%).
Nearly a quarter (23.1%) had to undergo inpatient treatment because of a malignant melanoma, the so-called "black" skin cancer.
A good three quarters (76.9%) were treated for so-called "bright" skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma).
Skin cancer in the sexes in different places
"Black" skin cancer occurred in men mainly on the body trunk (4,600 cases), in women especially in the lower extremities and the hip (3,700 cases).
"Light" skin cancer affects both women and men, especially in areas of the body that are more exposed to sunlight, such as specific parts of the face, scalp, neck, and ears.
Surgical interventions in the skin cancer patients included primarily the extensive removal of the diseased skin and tumor tissue (74,200 measures), transplants in the form of a skin flap replacement on the skin and subcutaneous tissue (56,300 measures) and a temporary soft tissue coverage (29,100 measures).
On average, the hospital stay of the skin cancer patients lasted 4.7 days.
Children, adolescents and young adults are rarely treated for skin cancer in the hospital. A good three quarters of the patients were 65 years and older.
Diseases often preventable
"This type of cancer could be avoided very easily: by proper UV protection and avoiding sunbeds," writes the German Cancer Aid on its website.
The main reason for the development of skin cancer is above all too much UV light and hereditary predispositions.
People should be protected from the sun from an early age to reduce the risk of illness.
When sunscreen, it depends on the skin type. The lighter the skin, the more protection is needed. In addition, one should orientate oneself on the UV index, which can be called up daily up-to-date on-line. A sunburn should always be avoided.
From the age of 35 for a check-up
Although there are several skin cancers that need to be treated differently, one thing applies to all cancers:
"The sooner they are recognized, the greater the chances of recovery and the gentler the treatment can possibly be," writes the German Cancer Society.
The costs for a skin cancer screening are taken over from the 35th year of life every two years as a statutory standard benefit from the health insurance companies. Some funds subsidize the provision even for younger insured. (Ad)