ILDS joins Global Call-to-Action to End the Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Epidemic in Outdoor Workers
Despite non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) being one of the most common occupational cancers1, its prevalence is continuing to increase and there is a lack of legislative protection to ensure adequate prevention measures, diagnosis and effective treatment.
The Global Call-to-Action calls on policy-makers, employers, workers, patient advocacy groups and health professionals to take the following actions to address the unmet needs of NMSC patients:
- Strengthen legislation to protect outdoor workers and build accessibility for regular screenings and earlier treatments;
- Increase cooperation to ensure standardised registration of NMSC;
- Develop tools to monitor solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure at work;
- Improve the reporting of occupational NMSC (including actinic keratosis);
- Enhance collaboration between doctors, employers and patient groups to promote skin cancer prevention and better address the unmet needs of outdoor workers with NMSC, a disease which results in persisting suffering from highly chronic tumours.