Report: Causes, Risk Factors and Statistics of Skin Cancer in UK

This report analyzes the causes and risk factors associated with skin cancer, focusing on the UK. It highlights the increasing incidence of skin cancer, with approximately 100,000 new cases diagnosed annually and over 2,500 deaths. The report aims to assess these causes and risk factors, analyze UK skin cancer statistics, identify vulnerable population groups, and suggest prevention strategies. Key causes identified include sun radiation, exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), high doses of ionizing radiation, and arsenic exposure. Risk factors include fair skin, UV light exposure, outdoor activities, changes in clothing style, increased longevity, ozone depletion, and genetics. The research employs a qualitative, exploratory design with a deductive approach, utilizing secondary data and thematic analysis. The report concludes with recommendations for sun protection, early detection campaigns, development of sun protection agents, regular examinations, and reduced exposure to PAHs and arsenic, while also suggesting areas for further research, such as the specific impact of ionizing radiation and arsenic on skin cancer risk. Desklib offers more resources like this for students.

TO ANALYZE CAUSES AND RISK
FACTORS OF SKIN CANCER

Rationale for study
 Skin cancers are the ones that arise from
skin due to development of abnormal cells.
 increased incidences of these cancers in UK.
 As per the studies, around 1, 00000 new
cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every
year.
 The disease has then a tendency to kill over
2500 people in UK on a yearly basis.
 It accounts to every seven people on a daily
basis.

Aims and objectives
 Aim
 To assess the causes and risk factors
associated with skin cancer
 Objectives
 To analyze the statistics of skin cancer in UK
 To analyze what causes skin cancer
 To identify the population groups that is
vulnerable to develop skin cancer
 To suggest strategies for reducing the chances
of skin cancer


Critical review of key references
 Armstrong, B. K., 2004. How sun exposure causes skin
cancer: an epidemiological perspective. In Prevention of
skin cancer. Springer Netherlands. pp. 89-116.
 Boffetta, P., Jourenkova, N. and Gustavsson, P., 1997.
Cancer risk from occupational and environmental exposure
to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Cancer Causes &
Control. 8(3). pp.444-472.
 Freedman, D. M., Dosemeci, M. and McGlynn, K., 2002.
Sunlight and mortality from breast, ovarian, colon, prostate,
and non-melanoma skin cancer: a composite death
certificate based case-control study. Occupational and
Environmental Medicine. 59(4). pp.257-262.

 Ron, E., Preston and et.al., 1998. Skin tumor risk among atomic-
bomb survivors in Japan. Cancer Causes & Control. 9(4). pp. 393-
401.
 Leiter, U. and Garbe, C., 2008. Epidemiology of melanoma and
nonmelanoma skin cancer—the role of sunlight. In Sunlight,
vitamin D and skin cancer. Springer New York. pp. 89-103.
 Kennedy, C. and et.al., 2003. The influence of painful sunburns and
lifetime sun exposure on the risk of actinic keratoses, seborrheic
warts, melanocytic nevi, atypical nevi, and skin cancer. Journal of
Investigative Dermatology. 120(6). pp. 1087-1093.
 Chen, Y. C. and et.al., 2003. Arsenic methylation and skin cancer
risk in southwestern Taiwan. Journal of occupational and
environmental medicine. 45(3). pp. 241-248.

Causes of skin cancer
 Sun radiation
 Exposure to polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs)
 High doses of ionizing radiation
 Arsenic exposure

Risk factors of of skin
cancer
 fair skin complexion
 sun exposure to UV light
 increased outdoor activities
 changes in clothing style
 increased longevity
 ozone depletion
 genetics

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 Research type – qualitative research type
 Research design – Exploratory design
 Research approach – Deductive approach
 Data collection – secondary data
collection
 Data analysis – Thematic analysis

Data analysis
 Skin cancer is caused by exposure to
sun rays
 Skin cancer rate is higher for fair
skinned people
 Heavy exposure to polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs)may led to skin
cancer
 Skin tumor risk is high among atomic-
bomb survivors in Japan
 High exposure to arsenic had a presence
of increased risk of skin cancer.

Conclusion
 skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in UK.
 England has the highest rates of skin cancer as compared to other
regions.
 It is caused by exposure to sun rays.
 The rate of skin cancer is higher for people who are fair skinned.
 Heavy exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon may also lead to
skin cancer.
 Atomic bomb survivors in japan have been found to have a higher
risk of skin tumour. Apart from that, the major reason for developing
basal cell carcinoma is intensive exposure to UV rays in childhood as
well as adolescence.
 The risk of skin cancer increases due to high exposure to arsenic.
 Females are known to have a greater knowledge abut the disease.
 They also possess stronger intentions as organ transplant recipients
and AIDS patients have weakened immune sysems, the incidence of
skin cancer is higher in them.

Recommendation
 Sun protection-
 reducing exposure to the UV rays of the
sun.
 Campaigns for prevention-
 Early detection-
 Development of future sun protection
agents
 Regular examination
 Reduced exposure to polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs)-
 Avoid tanning and UV tanning beds

Further research
The present study has been carried to analyze
causes and risk factors of skin cancer.
However, the research has further got scope
to focus on making it cause specific. It can be
related to identifying how skin cancer is
caused due to presence of ionizing radiations.
Research study can further be done on how
arsenic may cause skin cancer. Other than
the topic areas for farther research can be
Risk reduction for nonmelanoma skin cancer
with childhood sunscreen use .

References
 Freedman, D. M., Dosemeci, M. and McGlynn, K., 2002. Sunlight
and mortality from breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, and non-
melanoma skin cancer: a composite death certificate based case-
control study. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 59(4).
pp.257-262.
 Holick, M. F., 2005. The vitamin D epidemic and its health
consequences. The Journal of nutrition. 135(11). pp.2739S-2748S.
 Karin, M., 2006. Nuclear factor-κB in cancer development and
progression. Nature. 441(7092). pp.431-436.
 Kennedy, C. and et.al., 2003. The influence of painful sunburns
and lifetime sun exposure on the risk of actinic keratoses,
seborrheic warts, melanocytic nevi, atypical nevi, and skin cancer.
Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 120(6). pp. 1087-1093.
 Kricker, A., Armstrong, B. K. and English, D. R., 1994. Sun
exposure and non-melanocytic skin cancer. Cancer Causes &
Control. 5(4). pp.367-392.