Global Warming Increasing Skin Cancers--But Only Among Women

Global Warming Increasing Skin Cancers--But Only Among Women

A reader pointed me to this July 11, 2008 CBS News report where Katie Couric interviews an "expert" about skin cancer:

New research shows there's been a disturbing increase in melanoma among young women. In 1973, there were five-and-a-half cases per 100,000 women, ages 15-39. But by 1980, the rate had nearly doubled. And it went up another 50 percent by 2004. During that same time, the melanoma rate for young men leveled off. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer.

Okay, that's a real worry. Skin cancer rates rose dramatically from 1973 to 1980--and then rose dramatically again (but just for women) to 2004. And the explanation for this, from their expert?

Couric: Dr. Downie, when I heard these numbers I thought "Has the sun gotten stronger? Are young women spending more time outdoors?" What's behind this disturbing trend?

Downie: It's really worrisome. The ozone level is thinning so because of that, the greenhouse gas emission, the sun is stronger. This is not our grandmother's sun.

Look, ozone level thinning as a cause of increased skin cancer? Plausible. Ozone reduces UV exposure. Greenhouse gases? What? This the first that I have heard that they are changing the amount of UV reaching the surface. But here's the big problem: skin cancer rates for women increased 50% from 1980 to 2004--but didn't increase for men. What's with this? Is the ozone hole only present over women? Do greenhouse gases only let in UV light that causes skin cancer in women?

Come on. When something global affects men and women differently, it's usually not global. Yes, there has been some measurable increase in solar output (about .05% per decade since the 1970s--which is not much). But those of us who grew up in the 1960s remember when suntans went from something that identified a person who worked outside to something fashionable. One of my sisters spent as much time as possible on Santa Monica Beach trying to get that cool bronzed look--and in winter, she used a sunlamp. And unsurprisingly, a few years ago, she ended up with melanoma. She was not alone in her worship of UV.

One of the saddest aspects to the ignorance that passes for television journalists is that the general population doesn't seem to be any smarter--and so stupid people on TV can panic stupid people watching TV.