Skin cancer costs $123m a year 

New figures from the Cancer Society have put the cost of skin cancer to New Zealand at $123 million a year.

Treatment costs the health system more than 57 million dollars, the other 66 million is calculated from the loss of life and income.

The report was written by Des O'Dea, from the Wellington School of Medicine, who says the cost is needless, because most skin cancer is avoidable.

He says while skin cancers usually appear in old age, the damage is often done at a much younger age.

The Cancer Society says the figures show how important it is to spend more on prevention.

Spokeswoman Judith Galtry says there should be more funding for a schools, and part of the problem is the issue being send backwards and forwards between the Ministries of Health and Education.

Galtry says neither appears to support the programme, despite the fact it's very successful.

New Zealand has the world's highest death rate rate from skin cancer.

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