One cancer, however, has bucked that trend over that same period – malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
And the latest figures which show that incidence among 15-35 year-olds in the Glagow area has soared by 150 per cent is deeply worrying.
Some health professionals argue that the increased use of sunbeds may be part of the cause. What is certain is that the disease can be the result of over-exposure to UV rays, whether from the sun itself or from the tanning bed.
Like lung cancer, which has long been linked to smoking, we may well have it in our own power to limit our chances of contracting the disease, simply by avoiding one possible cause.
What is needed is more scientific investigation to determine once and for all whether a link does indeed exist between use of sunbeds and malignant melanoma.
Until then, it would undoubtedly do us no harm and probably a great deal of good to use sunbeds sparingly and ensure that we take all necessary precautions to protect our skin when next we head for the Costas.
