Fewer people are dying from malignant melanoma in Scotland - despite an increase in the incidence of the disease.

Melanoma is not the most common type of skin cancer, but it is by the far the most lethal.

It can be caused by over-exposure to sunlight - and many Scots have a pale skin type which renders them more vulnerable.

According to statistics published in the Lancet medical journal, the number of cases has increased from 3.5 per 100,000 men in 1979 to 10.6 in 1998, and from 7.0 to 13.1 per 100,000 in women over the same period.

However, despite this, 80% of men diagnosed in 1983 were alive five years later, compared to only 58% of those diagnosed in 1979.

Female survival also improved, by 15%, over this period.

Overall death rates fell for both men and women.

A higher proportion of the diagnosed tumours were thinner, meaning the cancer was being spotted earlier, before it had the chance to spread to other parts of the body.

Some of the increase in numbers of patients may be due to improved reporting systems for the cancer in Scotland, but scientists are encouraged by dropping death rates.

Dr Rona MacKie, from the University of Glasgow, who led the study, said: "While the number of people in Scotland who develop melanoma is increasing each year, they appear to be recognising that they have a problem, and are seeking treatment at an earlier stage.

"We still need to encourage a change in sun-exposure behaviour which, over a period of time, should lead to a reduction in melanoma incidence."

Surveys have shown that a large proportion of the UK population does not believe that sunbathing in this country can be dangerous to health, whereas experts say that it could still contribute to cancer.

Ruth Yates, a statistical information manager with Cancer Research UK, told BBC News Online that skin cancer rates were higher in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.

She said: "This may be partly due to reporting differences, along with differences in skin type.

"Scotland also has a higher incidence of lung cancer, and other cancers linked to deprivation."