“Once you can see it, that’s a sign that you need to study it.” This message is sent to citizens dermatologists on the occasion of May, the month of prevention and information about skin cancer And melanoma. The message is even clearer now, after more than three years of a pandemic that seems to have taken its toll on skin cancer diagnosis as well.

Professor of Dermatology-Venereology at the University of Athens and director of the A. author”, Alexandros Stratigos, notes in “K” that “concern has been raised about the shift in melanoma diagnoses from early stages to intermediate or even more advanced stages, with a poorer prognosis.”

As the professor explains, at the heart of this concern are the problems of citizens’ access to first-aid posts at the height of the pandemic, which were practically “monopolized” by COVID-19, as well as the fear of citizens to seek medical help from them. preventive checkups. In fact, a Greek study coordinated by the 1st Dermatological Clinic of the AUTH School of Medicine captures signs of late diagnosis. In 2020, the number of new cases of melanoma in Northern Greece fell by 36.4% compared to what was expected based on four years of data from 2016-2019, she said. Patients with melanoma diagnosed in 2020 were younger than those first diagnosed in previous years, which is associated with the fear of older people due to COVID-19 to seek medical help, while diagnoses are in intermediate and advanced stages diseases were greater than expected.

According to Mr. Stratigos, “this will not affect the overall prognosis of the disease in the country’s population. Everything is fine with us as in the country. The culture of prevention and early control of skin lesions is quite developed. We have many dermatologists and citizens have easy and relatively direct access to them, especially in urban centers.” According to him, the state should focus on remote island and rural areas. In this context, the Ministry has already announced and is in the planning stages of an appropriate program for primary and secondary prevention of skin cancer and melanoma, which will include the training of general practitioners in identifying suspicious skin lesions, the creation of a telemedicine system with interconnection with specialized centers and a network of medical points, in which will be forwarded cases.

In cities

“As a country, we are doing well. The culture of prevention and early control of skin lesions is quite developed, ”Professor Alexandros Stratigos tells K.

In Greece, the incidence is estimated to be seven cases of melanoma per 100,000 men and 8 per 100,000 women per year. This means approximately 1300 incidents per year. Melanoma is considered to be a predominantly urban disease, as urban populations lead an active lifestyle mostly indoors and are exposed to the sun “abruptly” and briefly during the summer months. As the professor points out, “melanoma is more associated with fair skin, sunburn and a lot of moles (olives) and less with chronic sun exposure, where in these cases we see non-melanoma skin cancer more often.”

Triptych of Prevention

Shade, head covering and regular application of sunscreen is a prevention triptych when we are about to be exposed to the sun. The general rule is that we should avoid direct exposure to the sun, especially during the hours of intense sunshine, i.e. from 12 to 16 hours.

Experts recommend sunscreen for broad spectrum protection and 30 SPF index and up. “The indication of SPF as a degree of protection is determined in the laboratory. They rarely “meet” with real conditions. Either we don’t apply the right amount of sunscreen, or we don’t apply it correctly in all places. Thus, striving for a higher protection factor helps offset this difference,” notes the professor.

He continues: “A mole that suddenly changes color, size or shape, the appearance of a new olive, and a skin lesion that bleeds and does not go away for more than 2-3 weeks should be immediately evaluated by a doctor. because early diagnosis and removal of the lesion leads to a completely curable condition. We now have new therapies such as immunotherapy and targeted therapies that effectively treat the disease and improve survival. The idea is that melanoma, which used to be a disease of judgment, has now, thanks to the latest treatments, become a manageable disease with high cure rates.”

No to solarium

The EU is considering a stricter framework for the operation of solariums for aesthetic reasons. to protect the public from skin cancer and melanoma. “Now we know from epidemiological data that solarium contributes to the development of skin cancer and melanoma, especially at a young age,” notes Alexandros Stratigos, Professor of Dermatology at EKPA, Director of the A. Sygros Hospital. K. According to a study that the World Health Organization cites in its recommendations for avoiding tanning beds, people who have used artificial tanning beds at least once have a 20% higher risk of developing melanoma than those who have never used them. If the first tanning exposure occurs before the age of 35, the risk increases by 59% According to Mr. Stratigos, EE has committed to consider measures to prevent exposure to ultraviolet radiation, including artificial tanning in a solarium, as part of the European cancer control program.

Numbers

325 000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed worldwide in 2020.

57000 melanoma deaths worldwide in 2020

14th the most common malignant neoplasm, melanoma, in the Greek population.

1300 new cases of melanoma in Greece annually (estimated).

8 cases per 100,000 women and 7 per 100,000 men in Greece.