OFFICIAL FROM:
Ryan Park, Minister for Health, Minister for Regional Health
The Cancer Institute NSW’s newly released melanoma hotspot map reveals Northern NSW Local Health District (LHD) has the state’s highest rate of melanoma, with 458 cases projected to be diagnosed in the LHD in 2024.
Ballina, Lismore, Byron and Clarence Valley local government areas (LGAs) are the top four of the state LGAs with the highest burden of melanoma, with Tweed and Richmond Valley LGAs making the state’s top 10.
Melanoma is the most common cancer among young Australians and the third most diagnosed cancer in NSW, with more than 5000 people expected to be diagnosed in the state in 2024.
As the most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma can be deadly and is projected to take the lives of close to 500 people across NSW this year.
Ninety-five per cent of melanoma and 99 per cent of non-melanoma skin cancers are caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun, and can be prevented with proper sun protection.
The Cancer Institute NSW has several initiatives in place to reduce the impact of skin cancer in NSW as part of its Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy 2023-2030. Initiatives include the If You Could See UV campaign, which is about to be relaunched in time for summer.
The behaviour change campaign, which aims to motivate 18–24-year-olds to protect their skin from UV radiation, has recently received two prestigious Australian Effectiveness Awards (Effies) for Positive Change, and Insight and Strategic Thinking.
Research shows more than 75 per cent of young people felt motivated to protect their skin from the sun after watching the campaign, which will deliver geo-targeted reminders on weather apps and outdoor advertising of the UV index in areas of NSW where young people are more likely to be outdoors.
The most effective defence against UV radiation is to follow these five key steps before leaving the house:
- slip on protective clothing
- slop on SPF50+ sunscreen. Sunscreen should always be applied 20 minutes before heading outdoors and re-applied every two hours
- slap on a wide brimmed hat
- seek shade
- slide on sunglasses.
Top 25 NSW LGAs for melanoma incidence
1 Ballina
2 Lismore
3 Byron
4 Clarence Valley
5 Coffs Harbour
6 Sutherland Shire
7 Port Macquarie-Hastings
8 Tweed
9 Kempsey
10 Richmond Valley
11 Nambucca Valley
12 Kiama
13 Port Stephens
14 Bathurst Regional
15 Mid-Coast
16 Lake Macquarie
17 Mosman
18 Mid-Western Regional
19 Northern Beaches
20 Shoalhaven
21 Cessnock
22 Wagga Wagga
23 Central Coast
24 Wingecarribee
25 Newcastle
Click this link for more information on how to reduce your risk of skin cancer - available on the Cancer Institute NSW website.