Skin cancer facts & stats

• More than two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.¹
• About 2,000 Australians die from skin cancer each year.²
• Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.³
• Medicare records show there were over a million treatments for squamous and basal cell carcinoma skin cancers in 2018 – that’s more than 100 skin cancer treatments every hour.
• Basal and squamous cell carcinoma skin cancers accounted for one quarter of all cancer-related hospitalisations in 2014–15.⁴ The cost to the health system of these skin cancers alone is estimated to be more than $700 million annually. The costs to the Federal Government and the community from basal and squamous cell carcinomas are predicted to continue to increase in the future.⁵
• In 2022, 2,885 Victorians were diagnosed with melanoma and 262 lost their lives.⁶
• It is estimated that approximately 200 melanomas and 34,000 other skin cancer types per year are caused by occupational exposures in Australia.⁷

References

For more information visit Cancer Council’s Skin Cancer Statistics & Issues.

Our position statements

Cancer Council Australia’s Skin Cancer Committee has developed position statements and fact sheets addressing common myths and misunderstandings to help Australians reduce their skin cancer risk.

Many of these have been developed with input from other expert health organisations, particularly the Australasian College of Dermatologists.

These include:

• Eye protection
• Tanning
• Vitamin D
• Early detection of skin cancer
• Private ownership and use of solariums in Australia
• Sunscreen
• Sun protection and babies (0–12 months)
• Sun protection in the workplace
• Tinted windows