It has also been established that some people are genetically prone to develop skin cancer. Persons with blue or green eyes, fair or red hair, and pale skin—notably Irish and other Celtic peoples—are especially vulnerable. Ireland has the world’s largest skin cancer death rate after South Africa and Australia, even though Ireland is in a latitude that receives less than half the ultraviolet radiation of either of the other countries. The overall incidence of cancer amongst Caucasians in the United States is 15 times greater than for Negroes. For predisposed individuals of Celtic ancestry, living in potentially sun-intense countries, such as the United States, South Africa, and Australia, skin cancer is a real hazard, although there is a considerable latent period between the time of damage and the appearance of the consequences. This may in fact range from 10 to 30 years.

It is estimated that about half a million people will develop skin cancer this year in the United States, and that more than 5000 of them will die of it this year alone. Australia has a significantly higher incidence of skin cancer than the United States, and medical authorities estimate that one out of every five Australians will develop some form of it.

Skin cancer, like all cancers, is marked by the uncontrolled growth of certain cells. There are three common forms of skin cancer, named from the cells from which they develop. The most common is the basal cell carcinoma (B.C.C. U which rarely spreads to other tissues. The next most common is the squamous cell carcinoma (S.C.C.), which does spread or metastasize, and may arise from a pie-cancerous lesion known as a solar keratosis. Finally, there is the highly dangerous melanoma.

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