Skin cancer

Improving sun safety and the early diagnosis of skin cancer

Up to 90 per cent of skin cancers are preventable by adopting simple sun-safe strategies and skin cancer is also one of the only cancers we can physically see developing in its early stages.

If detected, diagnosed and treated early enough, almost all cases of skin cancer are curable.

NHS Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance's #BeSkinSmart campaign was created to raise awareness of:

the risks associated with UV exposure
how to prevent skin cancer
early signs and symptoms.

Visit Be Skin Smart on Have Your Say in Kent and Medway to find out more.

Postcards, posters and mole-tracking diaries

We have developed a range of materials including:

posters
postcards
a debit-card size foldout information card, with a mole tracking diary, complete with handy ruler to measure your moles.

Roadshows

In Summer 2022 and 2023, our Be Skin Smart roadshow team hit the beach and outdoor events, with our giant deckchair, leaflets, wallet cards and a colouring competition for the children.

Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2021: health in coastal communities

Screening and early diagnosis

Our screening and early diagnosis work focuses on breaking down barriers to increase the number of people who take up screening and raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer to reduce health and health care inequalities across Kent and Medway.

Faster diagnosis

The NHS Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) requires patients to be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days of being referred urgently by their GP for suspected cancer. For patients who are diagnosed with cancer, it means their treatment can begin as soon as possible. For those who are not, they can have their minds put at rest more…

Personalised care and support

Personalised care means giving patients more choice and control over their care, based on what matters most to them as individuals. It is a partnership between people with cancer and their professional team.

Innovation

Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance (KMCA) is one of eight cancer alliances to participate in the Galleri-GRAIL clinical trial. The trial aims to prove whether the Galleri-GRAIL test is effective in diagnosing up to 50 types of cancer by looking for DNA markers in the blood.