Why men are more likely to die from skin cancer than women, according to recent data

Skin cancer happens due to the abnormal growth of skin cells, which mostly develops on skin exposed to the sun. However, this isn't necessary as it can also occur in areas which are not often exposed to direct sunlight. The three major types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Melanoma is the most invasive skin cancer and comes with the highest death risk. It occurs when melanocytes – the pigment-producing cells that give colour to the skin – become cancerous. Men need to be more careful from this cancer as recent data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows males are more likely to die of melanoma than females.

According to data from 2012 to 2016, about 77,698 new cases of melanoma occurred in the US each year. 45,854 of these were among men and 31,845 were among women. The highest incidence rate of skin cancer was among non-Hispanic white males (34.9 per 100,000), and the lowest rate was among black females (0.9 per 100,000). Among white people, the data found that males died of skin cancer at more than twice the rate of females.

Reportedly, India witnesses more than a million cases of melanoma per year.

Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) 2021 report found that skin cancer incidence is low in proportion to all other cancers in India, in comparison with other regions of the world.

Published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics, the study analyzed data from the Population-Based Cancer Registry of India. They found that the highest incidence is in India’s Northeast – 5.14 for males and 3.98 for females. Males in the East had a greater incidence of 6.2. Researchers believe the higher incidence of skin cancer in North and East India is due to arsenic exposure along the Ganges basin.

While the exact reason why men are more likely to contract melanoma isn’t certain, here are some reasons experts believe could be responsible for the discrepancy.

Read more: First confirmed case of monkeypox reported in India; here are the signs, symptoms, treatment and prevention

Cancer Research UK found that only less than a quarter of men polled always protect themselves from the sun. A quarter of men said they did not feel the sun was strong enough to wear sun protection. 23 percent said they didn't really think about sun protection when out and about.

The facts are that getting sunburnt just once every two years can triple your risk of skin cancer. Even in cloudy weather, the sun can cause damage to skin cells, so everybody is encouraged to be safe in the sun.

When used properly, sunscreen can reduce the risk of both melanoma and other types of skin cancer. Making it a daily habit to apply sunscreen is essential since UV exposure is cumulative over time.

According to a study from the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, women are more likely than men to wear sunscreen. Higher melanoma rates among men may also be due in part to lower rates of sun protection.

Men have thicker skin with less fat beneath and they tend to have more collagen in their skin than women. Research shows that these differences in skin type may make men’s skin more susceptible to damage from the same amount of UV sunlight, compared to women. Studies also point to how women’s skin heals the damaged skin better than men’s skin.

Read more: Explainer: Who are more at risk of contracting monkeypox?

Studies have shown that people with higher estrogen levels have an increased immune response against melanomas. This could be another reason why women tend to respond better to treatment and have a higher chance of survival against skin cancer. Scientists have also found that men who are obese are also likely to have high levels of estrogen.

Most skin cancers don’t have a symptom, that’s why people ignore early signs on their skin because it doesn’t hurt. It is important to routinely self examine the skin for unusual moles or spots. In males, most melanomas occur in hard-to-see areas like the shoulders or the back.

Delaying skin checks will give time to the problematic moles or spots to worsen. With time, treatment can become difficult which increases the death rates. Dermatologists warn that most people with skin cancer first visit them when it's too late, after a lesion is ulcerating or bleeding.