The number of skin cancer cases in men and women increases by 10% every year. Experts have drawn a correlation between this increase and the increased intensity of UV radiation in Germany. Skin cancer is already one of the most common forms of cancer. In Germany, around 260,000 people develop skin cancer each year, regardless of whether they have light or dark skin.
"We receive 10,000 reports of this every year, and 6000 cases have been recognized as an occupational disease. Unfortunately, this is already an alarmingly common disease, and climate change will not help things at all," said John. Occupational skin cancer due to long-term sun exposure in outdoor workers is now the second-most common recognized occupational disease in Germany .
Taking the number of cases into account, it is still unclear how medical care can be ensured for those affected in the coming years."We have no idea how we are meant to care for these patients in the future," said John. He stressed that physicians would have to resort to teledermatology to treat patients and that artificial intelligence or health apps would be needed to help with patient self-management.Sun protection is"absolutely crucial," emphasized Tischler.
In the S3 guidelines on actinic keratosis and the prevention of skin cancer, a lot of space is dedicated to occupational. John explained that by recognizing occupational skin diseases, therapeutic procedures and guideline-based follow-up care that would not be possible through statutory health insurance can be provided at the expense of statutory accident insurance.