Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Put on a broad-brimmed hat that shades your face and neckWear sun protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possibleSeek shadeWear wrap-around sunglassesApply SPF30+ broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen every two hours
PROTECT YOURSELF IN FIVE WAYS FROM SKIN CANCER

Melanoma

Fact sheet on melanoma

Melanoma arises from cells in the skin (melanocytes) which produce a brown pigment (melanin), the substance which gives skin its colour.

Melanoma:

  • is the least common form of skin cancer but is the most deadly
  • if untreated, melanoma cells spread quickly to other parts of the body and form secondary cancers
  • appears as a new spot, or an existing spot, freckle or mole that changes colour, size or shape
  • usually has an irregular or smudgy outline and is more than one colour (brown, black, red, white and/or light grey)
  • grows over weeks to months, anywhere on the body (not just in places that get a lot of sun)
Excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), melanoma is the fourth most common cancer in Australia (after colorectal, prostate and breast cancers). Melanoma is the most common registrable cancer in men and women aged 15 to 44 years compared to other cancers 1.

In 2005, melanoma was the tenth most common cause of cancer death in Australia2, with 1,273 deaths from melanoma in Australia in 20053.

Australian five-year relative survival rates after a diagnosis of melanoma are consistently high for all age groups and are the highest in the world. Melanoma has the second-highest five-year survival rate when compared with other cancers for both males and females4.

Early detection is important for successful treatment of melanoma. People, particularly anyone aged 50 years or over, should check their own skin regularly and seek medical advice immediately if they notice any changes. Those at high risk of melanoma may need a regular check from their GP or specialist dermatologist.

For further information on types of skin cancer and on how to check for skin changes, see the Australasian College of Dermatologists website.


1AIHW’s Interactive Cancer Incidence Data Cubes. http://www.aihw.gov.au/cancer/data/datacubes/index.cfm
2 Cancer Australia 2007. Cancer Types and issues.http://152.91.86.9/about-cancer/cancer-information/cancer-types-and-issues.aspx#Skin
3AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare), Australian Cancer Incidence and Mortality Books. http://www.aihw.gov.au/cancer/data/acim_books/index.cfm
4AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare), Cancer Australia & Australasian Association of Cancer Registries 2008. Cancer survival and prevalence in Australia: cancer diagnosed from 1982 to 2004. Cancer Series no. 42. Cat. no. CAN 38. Canberra: AIHW.