Skin cancer (squamous cell)

Getting a lot of sun

More people sunbathe today than did about 50 years ago. This partly explains why skin cancer is becoming more common.

Source:
Alam M, Ratner D.
Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 344: 975-83.

We all get sun on some parts of our body from time to time. But how risky this is depends on how old you are when it happens and how long it goes on. Here's what we know.

Getting lots of sun as a child seems to be most risky, especially if you burn.

Source:
Alam M, Ratner D.
Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 344: 975-83.

¹
Older people are more prone to squamous cell skin cancer because their skin has gotten much more sun than younger people's skin.

Source:
National Cancer Institute.
What you need to know about skin cancer.
January 2005. Available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin (accessed on 13 March 2009).

²
If you work outdoors (say, on a building site), you'll get a lot more sun on your skin than someone who works in an office.

Source:
Alam M, Ratner D.
Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 344: 975-83.

¹ This means your skin is more likely to get damaged and you're more likely to get squamous cell skin cancer
The closer you live to the equator, the more hours of sunlight you get each day. This also means you're more likely to get skin damage and squamous cell skin cancer.

Source:
Marks R.
Squamous cell carcinoma.
Lancet. 1996; 347: 735-738.

³
The sun isn't the only source of ultraviolet (UV) light (the part of sunlight that plays the biggest role in causing skin cancer). Tanning booths and sunlamps make artificial UV light. This can burn and damage your skin and cause skin cancer.

Source:
National Cancer Institute.
What you need to know about skin cancer.
January 2005. Available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin (accessed on 13 March 2009).

²

Source:
Glanz K, Saraiya M, Wechsler H, et al.
Guidelines for school programs to prevent skin cancer.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2002; 51: 1-18.

⁴

Sources for the information on this page:

Alam M, Ratner D.Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma.New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 344: 975-83.

National Cancer Institute.What you need to know about skin cancer.January 2005. Available at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin (accessed on 13 March 2009).

Marks R.Squamous cell carcinoma.Lancet. 1996; 347: 735-738.

Glanz K, Saraiya M, Wechsler H, et al.Guidelines for school programs to prevent skin cancer.Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2002; 51: 1-18.

This information was last updated on Apr 14, 2009

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