Cancer Society Not Surprised By New Research Showing High Death Rate From Melanoma

Source: Scoop News, April 2022

Wellington, 1 April 2022 – New research from JAMA Dermatology shows New Zealand has the world’s highest death rate from melanoma with 350 New Zealanders losing their lives to melanoma each year.

The Cancer Society of New Zealand says these statistics are unfortunately not surprising.

Chief Executive Lucy Elwood says: “Skin cancer is the most common cancer affecting New Zealanders with 80,000 people being diagnosed each year, accounting for 80 percent of all new cancers. If we want to address these harrowing statistics, we need to take sun safety seriously, especially with New Zealand’s strong levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Most skin cancer is preventable, and we know prevention is always better than cure.”

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