Cost of skin cancer in Ontario will exceed $344 million in 2011 Skin cancer accounts for about 1/3 of cancers diagnosed in Ontario. The cost of skin cancer will exceed $344 million in Ontario in 2011. Ultraviolet radiation, from the sun or tanning equipment, is the main cause of skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ontario. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the main subtypes. Although only melanoma skin cancer is routinely reported in Ontario, estimates indicate that 35,000 Ontarians will be diagnosed with one of these forms of skin cancer in 2011, accounting for about 1/3 of all cancer diagnoses. The economic burden of this cancer – including both direct costs (e.g., treatment) and indirect costs (e.g., morbidity and premature mortality) – in Ontario is estimated to exceed $344 million in the year 2011 alone.1 Most skin cancers are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from other sources, such as tanning equipment. Reduced exposure to UV radiation would significantly impact the future burden of skin cancer and the associated human and economic costs.   In Ontario, solar UV radiation is strongest – and most damaging to skin – between May and August in the middle of the day. The UV Index is a guide to how strong the day's UV radiation is: when it is 3–5, sun protection is needed when outside for 30 minutes or more, and when it is 6 or over, full protection is required. Environment Canada predicts that UV radiation values across Canada will be about three to four per cent higher during the summer months, as compared to pre-1980 levels, due to the reduced thickness of the ozone layer.2 Tanning equipment emits UV radiation that is generally similar to that from the sun, although its strength can exceed that of the midday sun. Skin cancer is almost entirely preventable by minimizing exposure to UV radiation. The best ways to reduce your chance of getting skin cancer are: Plan outdoor activities before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to minimize exposure when UV radiation is most intense. Seek shade or create shade with an umbrella or other portable structure. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and loose-fitting clothing made of tightly woven fabric. Liberally apply a broad-spectrum (with UVA and UVB protection) sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 or higher to exposed skin and lips. Never use tanning equipment. Because UV radiation also causes eye problems such as cataracts, wear sunglasses with UVA & UVB protection. For more information on sun safety and sun safety measures, see: Insight on Cancer: Sun Exposure and Protective Behaviours in Ontario. An Ontario report based on the 2006 Second National Sun Survey available at http://www.cancercare.on.ca/common/pages/UserFile.aspx?fileId=87528. Understanding the UV Index can help you reduce your risk of skin cancer (June 2004 Ontario cancer fact) at http://www.cancercare.on.ca/cms/one.aspx?pageId=9735 or visit Environment Canada at http://www.ec.gc.ca/uv/default.asp?lang=En&n=C74058DD-1. For more information, talk to your health care provider or call Cancer Information Service (1-888-939-3333). References H. Krueger & Associates Inc. The Economic Burden of Skin Cancer in Canada: Current and Projected. Final report. 2010 Feb. Contracted by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. Available at http://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/wp-content/uploads/Economic-Burden-of-Skin-Cancer-in-Canada-Report-Final1.pdf. Summer 2011 UV Outlook. Available at http://www.ec.gc.ca/uv/default.asp?lang=En&n=C28590EA-1. Citation: Cancer Care Ontario. Cancer Fact: Cost of skin cancer in Ontario will exceed $344 million in 2011. June 2011. Available at http://www.cancercare.on.ca/cancerfacts. Prepared by surveillance staff in Prevention and Cancer Control.