South East Queensland has the unfortunate label of ‘skin cancer capital of the world’

Suburbs across the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and in Brisbane have astonishing melanoma diagnosis rates at nearly 100 per cent higher than the national average, new research has revealed.

South East Queensland has the unfortunate label of “skin cancer capital of the world” and the new Australian Cancer Atlas 2.0 shows that the deadly trend continues.

Research lead Cancer Council Queensland’s Professor Peter Baade reports that the south east corner and many coastal areas have higher than average rates of not only thin melanomas, which are consistent with early diagnosis but late diagnosis thick melanomas.

Currumbin and Tugun have a melanoma diagnosis rate 97 per cent above the national average, Brisbane suburb Ashgrove’s rate is 95 per cent above, Birkdale 93 per cent, Manly and Lota 93 per cent and Burleigh Waters 93 per cent above.

In 2023, Australian women were estimated to have a one in 21 chance of being diagnosed with melanoma before the age of 85 while men were estimated to have a one in 14 risk.

There are also gender differences when it comes to mortality. In 2021 Australians had a one in 221 chance of dying from melanoma by age 85 – men had a one in 164 chance and women had a one in 340 chance.

Skin cancer research Professor David Whiteman from QIMRBerghofer told The Sunday Mail that South East Queensland sees a lot of skin cancers due to the demographics of the people.

“Typically in the past in would be people from Europe with fair skin who would settle in the area and live the outdoor life. That’s a changing trend but now we are seeing the skin damage on those people having lived here for decades. They are an older generation now,” Prof Whiteman said.

“The sun here can do damage even in winter. Damage done today can be a melanoma in the future.”

The expert says that treatment has improved over the years.

“In the last 15 years we have seen the development of new drugs that make a big difference to late stage melanomas. Cases are increasing as there are so many skin clinics opening in the danger areas and very early detection can be cured with surgery,” he said.

The researchers report that the cancer types with the greatest increases over time are liver, myeloma, thyroid and pancreatic cancers.

The Leukaemia Foundation has flagged a shocking rise in blood cancer in Australia with one in 12 Australians directly affected by blood cancer in their lifetime.

Kara Cook with her husband Joshua and their children Eden, 9, Arlo, 3, and Rita, 7, (and dog Milton). Photo: Renae Droop/RDW Photography

The atlas shows that in Tully the leukaemia diagnosis rate is 25 per cent above average and Chinchilla, 24 per cent above.

Brisbane mum of three Kara Cook survived three melanoma diagnoses before she turned 30.

The former Brisbane City councillor, 37, grew up in Yeppoon, sailing and playing sport.

“I’m not sure that if I had still been living in central Queensland that I would have been so lucky to catch all three melanomas early enough to escape chemotherapy. All three were surgically excised,” she said.

“I was always careful to have skin checks at the GP since the age of 16 because of my fair skin and loving the outdoors as a child.

“After the first diagnosis I was very carefully checked which meant the next two were found early.

“That early detection means all the difference and unfortunately the regions don’t always have the services we enjoy in the city.”

Ms Cook said counselling she received from the Cancer Council helped a lot.

“I honestly thought I was going to die. But I received great support and the experience actually made me realise that I should change my life. I am a lawyer and gave up a hectic job in the city to work for a non-profit,” she said.