Solarium and skin cancer risk

15th January 2008, 7:15 WST

BEATRICE THOMAS

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?Men...ContentID=54427

The Cancer Council WA has renewed calls to regulate the solarium industry after a new study found people under the age of 35 who used the machines increased their risk of forming a dangerous melanoma skin cancer by an alarming 98 per cent.

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency study also found an individual’s chance of developing a melanoma — the rarest but deadliest form of skin cancer — rose by 22 per cent if they had used a solarium just once.

Queensland Institute of Medical Research scientist Louisa Gordon, who collated the results of 21 studies as part of the study, said the figures were concerning given the rapid growth of the solarium industry.

She said Australians were diagnosed with more than 9500 melanomas each year, ending in more than 1100 deaths. About 12 to 62 of those cases were directly attributable to indoor tanning devices.

“We believe approximately 1000 melanomas and up to 12,000 squamous cell carcinomas (a less severe but sometimes fatal skin cancer) could be avoided in the next generation of young Australians if the government instigated more stringent industry regulations,” Dr Gordon said.

Cancer Council WA director of education and research Terry Slevin said the study further emphasised the need to regulate the industry. “When the solarium industry can legally expose people to five times the intensity of the midday summer sun in their machines then it doesn’t take a lot to deduce that that’s therefore going to increase the risk of skin cancer,” he said.

“These studies seem to be able to quantify that and be very clear about the link.”

Dr Gordon said current voluntary standards banning people under 18 and people with fair skin from using sun beds should be legally enforced.

On February 1, Victoria will be the first State to make operators get a licence and display health warnings. It will also be illegal for anyone under 16 to use a solarium and people aged 16-17 will require parental consent.

Health Minister Jim McGinty said WA was considering how best to regulate and control the solarium industry.

“This study places beyond doubt the dangers posed by solaria,” he said. “The public would be well advised not to use them because there is no therapeutic value.”

Mr Slevin said Australia had the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, with WA second after Queensland among the States.