Older expatriates who have taken out health insurance are being urged to get abnormal moles and skin changes checked by a medical professional as soon as possible.
This advice comes from Cancer Research UK, whose research has found that a failure to flag up such conditions has resulted in a significant increase in deaths from malignant melanoma among pensioners .
Expatriates living in hot climates need to be careful of sunburn as this is known to be a contributory factor to skin cancer and can lead to expensive medical treatment if individuals do not have expatriate health insurance cover .
Caroline Cerny, the charity’s SunSmart campaign manager, commented: “While the risk of skin cancer increases with age, the fact that so many over 65s are being diagnosed when the disease is advanced means that older people need to keep a close eye on any changes to their skin or moles to avoid late diagnosis.” She added the earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat.