Melanoma claims an average of six deaths yearly, with the number of new cases reaching 54 in 2010 - up from 23 in 1999, according to data released by the Disease Prevention Directorate this morning.

Charmaine Gauci, director of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, said that in 2010 there were 54 new cases of melanoma, and six were fatal.

She said raising awareness about dangerous sunrays today was important because the UV index had already started rising.

She was speaking during a visit by the Health Minister at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital Hospital in Floriana this morning as Malta today joined other European countries for the 14th consecutive year to mark Melanoma awareness day.

During the visit, Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia insisted on the importance of not only taking precautionary measures, like staying indoors between 11am and 4pm and wearing protective clothing, but also examining spots on our skin.

Dr Farrugia revealed that he successfully underwent two interventions six years ago after he was diagnosed with melanoma after 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. Some ended up chronically sick, while four passed away.

People need to be aware that some painless spots on our skin could become cancerous, and  the Maltese were more subject to strong sunrays, he said.

The Head Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Lawrence Scerri said data collected today by members of the pan-European campaign for skin cancer prevention Euro melanoma is examined to keep tabs on the incidence of melanoma.