Melanoma claims an average of six lives each year, with the number of new cases reaching 54 in 2010, practically doubling in a decade, according to data released by the Disease Prevention Directorate yesterday.

Godfrey Farrugia successfully underwent two interventions six years ago after being diagnosed with melanoma

In 1999 the number of new cases was 23, with a further 457 being reported between 2000 and 2010.

In that decade, 67 deaths were attributed to malignant melanoma.

The increase in awareness may have had an effect on the rise in the number of new cases.

Charmaine Gauci, director of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, said raising awareness about sunrays at this time of the year was important as the UV index had already started rising.

She was speaking during Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia’s visit to Boffa Hospital in Floriana yesterday, as Malta joined other European countries for the 14th consecutive year to raise awareness about the deadly skin cancer.

People with changing moles or suspicious pigmented scars were last week urged to call the Dermatology Department at Boffa Hospital for melanoma screening .

Dr Farrugia insisted it was important not only to take precautionary measures, such as staying indoors between 11am and 4pm and wearing protective clothing, but also examining spots on our skin.

Dr Farrugia said he successfully underwent two interventions six years ago after being diagnosed with melanoma when noticing a spot changing colour and shape.

He added that in the past 28 years, as a family doctor, one in every 10 of his patients had skin-related problems. Four of those patients had died.

People had to be aware that some painless spots on the skin could become cancerous, and the Maltese were more predisposed to the sun’s strong rays. If people had no other choice but to go swimming between 11am and 4pm, they should wear a top and seek the shade.

Lawrence Scerri, head of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, said data collected yesterday by members of the pan-European campaign Euromelanoma was being examined to record the incidence of melanoma.

This year’s Euromelanoma campaign on skin cancer urges people to See It And Stop It.