Sweden has set a goal for a safe radiation environment, which is divided into four sub-areas: radiation protection principles, radioactive substances, electromagnetic fields, and UV radiation. However, the number of skin cancer cases has more than doubled since the year 2000, contradicting the target for UV radiation. The Radiation Safety Authority believes that attitudes and behaviors regarding sunburn take a long time to change and are contributing factors to the increase. Malignant melanoma has increased by nearly 40 percent in the last ten years, while other types of skin cancer have increased by almost 60 percent. Although more respondents claim to avoid sunburn, there has been a slight decline during the pandemic years. It is important to pay attention to skin changes early to detect melanoma in time, which is a form of skin cancer that can be cured if caught early.
A safe radiation environment is one of Sweden’s 16 environmental quality goals. The goal is divided into four sub-areas – radiation protection principles, radioactive substances, electromagnetic fields and UV radiation – and for three of them it is judged that the goals can be met.
But at the same time, the number of skin cancer cases has more than doubled since the year 2000 – contrary to the target for UV radiation, which means that the number of annual cases should be lower by 2030. A contributing factor to the development is that it takes a long time to change attitudes and behaviors linked to, for example, sunburn , according to the Radiation Safety Authority.
Malignant melanoma has increased by nearly 40 percent in the last ten years and other types of skin cancer by nearly 60 percent.
“Over time, more respondents answer that they avoid burning themselves in the sun, and fewer state that they feel prettier when they are tanned. However, there has been a slight decline during the pandemic years,” says Tove Sandberg Liljendahl, investigator at the authority , in a press release.
She also points out that there is no “major improvement in the number who state that they burned themselves”.
In 2020, 4,300 people were diagnosed with malignant melanoma
The number of cases of has doubled during the 2000s. Early detection of melanoma is crucial for survival in the disease.
It is therefore important to pay attention to skin changes early and to contact the healthcare system for an examination.
Malignant melanoma is a form of skin cancer that can be cured if the change is detected in time.
Sources: Cancer Foundation and 1177