Health: Association calls for state-organized skin cancer screening

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Regular skin cancer screenings are important – but are still not taken advantage of enough. According to experts, better communication is also needed for better prevention.

The Professional Association of German Dermatologists (BVDD) calls for state-organized skin cancer screening. “This would ensure that we also reach all population and risk groups,” said association president Ralph von Kiedrowski of the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”.

At present, people over the age of 35 with statutory health insurance can go to skin cancer screening free of charge every two years – on their own initiative. According to the newspaper report, only about one in three perceives this. Therefore, according to the association president, the health authorities would have to write about 35.7 million insured persons and invite them to free screening, says Kiedrowski. He thinks an annual check-up is the best form of prevention.

The dermatologist warned: “The cases of non-melanoma skin cancer will still befall us because people are getting older.” In the past 20 years, the number of hospital treatments for skin cancer has increased significantly. In 2021, 105,700 people with the diagnosis were treated in hospital – that was almost 75 percent more cases than in 2001, as the Federal Statistical Office announced in May. About 4,100 people died from skin cancer in 2021 – 55 percent more than in 2001, when there were 2,600 deaths.

The association claims to represent the interests of more than 5,000 dermatologists.

dpa

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