Munich (dpa / lby) - According to an analysis by the commercial health insurance company (KKH), the number of people suffering from skin cancer in Bavaria has risen sharply within a decade. According to this, around 54 percent more people were treated for the malignant and life-threatening black skin cancer last year than in 2011. In the case of white skin cancer, which can be easily healed if detected early, it was 46 percent more, as the KKH on Thursday after a Evaluation of own data communicated.
According to the health insurer, one explanation for this increase is climate change: hotter summers, more hours of sunshine and stronger UV radiation damaged the skin. Leisure activities have also changed. "Outdoor activities such as walking, jogging and cycling, but also trend sports such as trail running and stand-up paddling have increased significantly," explained the KKH. "All of this means that we are exposed to the sun's UV rays more frequently and more intensely." The resulting sun damage is the main cause of skin cancer.
On the other hand, it cannot be explained why Bavaria is well above the nationwide rate of increase of around 37 percent for black skin cancer, but far below the nationwide increase of around 65 percent for white skin cancer.
With around 1.6 million insured persons, the KKH is one of the largest nationwide statutory health insurance companies. Your information, extrapolated from the billing data of your insured persons, is therefore considered to be representative.
