Skin cancer is on the rise and the numbers of cases are higher than those predicted by experts previously.

Image courtesy of Christiana Care / flickr

A new study shows the most common type of skin cancer is approximately double the level indicated by government statistics, with more than 200,000 cases of basal cell carcinomas a year.  BCC is treatable by surgery but with cases rising it could cost the NHS £200million a year.  Dr Bav Shergill, a dermatologist at Brighton and Susses Hospitals NHS Trust, said he is seeing more and more patients and added: “It is thought that this is due to a number of factors, including people living longer, and greater exposure to sun through outdoor hobbies, travel and package holidays and so on.”

BCC is rarely fatal but is thought to account for 75 per cent of all skin cancers.