Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops in the cells (melanocytes) that produce melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its color. It is the most serious type of skin cancer because it can spread rapidly to other parts of the body if not detected and treated early. While melanoma is less common than other skin cancers, it causes the majority of skin cancer-related deaths.
Researchers from QIMR Berghofer have discovered that the decreasing melanoma rates among young Australians are partly due to the country’s growing diversity and wider range of skin tones.
The study reveals that nearly 30 percent of young Australians now face a lower to moderate risk of melanoma, thanks to their ancestry and darker skin tones.
Researchers noted that although public health initiatives like the iconic “Slip! Slop! Slap!” campaign of the 1980s have been credited with reducing melanoma cases, the research, led by Professor David Whiteman, a skin cancer expert with three decades of experience, highlights demographic shifts as another important factor.
Professor Whiteman pointed out that melanoma rates have sharply increased over time in individuals over 50, but have consistently declined among younger Australians.
He further indicated that health professionals often credit this trend to the effectiveness of public campaigns for health that started decades ago. However, those evaluations overlook the role of Australia’s growing population diversity in relation to melanoma risk.
Professor Whiteman also indicated that at present more than half of the population of Australia is either born overseas or has at least one parent who was. He indicated that this has led to a significantly larger proportion of people whose ancestry lowers their melanoma risk compared to those with roots in Great Britain and northern Europe.
The researchers found that the estimated percentage of Australians at high risk for melanoma decreased from 85.3% in 2006 to 71% in 2021.
Using detailed census data, they modeled melanoma rates by age group and ancestry, classifying individuals into high, moderate, and low-risk categories. This allowed them to assess whether the decline in melanoma rates among younger Australians was due to fewer people in these groups being at high risk.
While immigration partly accounts for the drop-in melanoma rates according to Professor Whiteman, he noted that there has also been a decline in melanoma cases among young, fair-skinned Australians of European descent, which he stated, could be partially attributed to changes in lifestyle.
“Young people in industrialised countries are spending more time inside on screens and less time outside, with consecutive studies indicating this could be contributing to lower rates of melanoma,” he added.
The US and New Zealand have observed a decrease in melanoma cases among young people of European descent, indicating that these populations have undergone similar alterations in their lifestyle and sun habits as seen in Australia.
“While sun protection campaigns have been prominent in Australia for many years, they have been much less common in the United States and New Zealand. So, it seems unlikely that the observed reductions in melanoma rates in those countries could be attributed to organised public health activities,” explained Professor Whiteman.
Nevertheless, he emphasized the importance of ongoing nationwide prevention and education initiatives to further decrease the incidence of this avoidable and life-threatening form of cancer.
“Since most melanomas are linked to sun exposure, which can be controlled, and considering Australians are often exposed to intense sunlight for much of the year, we need to continue our national public health campaigns.”
The study was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and featured in the Medical Journal of Australia.
