Melanoma cell
The NSW Government decision to ban solariums has been welcomed by Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research scientists, whose study prompted the move.
Professor Graham Mann, who helps lead melanoma research at the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, was the lead author on the Australian Melanoma Family Study, the only Australian study into melanoma incidence and use of sun beds by young people.
Professor Mann said his team at Westmead was celebrating the ban.
“My team and I are delighted that our research has contributed to a very important health measure that will help prevent melanoma in New South Wales, and hopefully, if other jurisdictions pick it up, will save more lives around Australia,” said Professor Mann.
The Australian Melanoma Family Study findings were the result of a research collaboration led by Professor Mann between the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Melanoma Institute Australia, Cancer Council Victoria and Cancer Council Queensland.
“We asked people about their use of solariums. We reported 18 months ago that the use of sunbeds was associated with an increase in the risk of melanoma, even allowing for the other types of exposure.”
Other international studies had previously shown solarium use increases risk, he said. “But the thing that that was striking about our study was the strength of the effect on young people and the effect on melanomas occurring earlier in life.”
For people who got melanomas under the age of 30, who used sunbeds, 75 per cent of melanomas were attributable to sunbeds, the study showed. Eliminating sunbeds would potentially avoid those melanomas and these associated deaths, Professor Mann said.
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