Airline Pilots and Skin Cancer

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Why are airline pilots at increased risk of skin cancer? How common is awareness under general anaesthesia? And, the rise of malaria near illegal gold mines in Venezuela. A review of research on pilots and cabin crew going back to the 1940s has found the risk of getting skin cancer is twice that of the normal population. They believe it’s all down to UVA radiation coming through the windows of the plane. Claudia talks to Dr Susana Ortiz. A new study looking at three million operations has investigated awareness during a general anaesthetic. How many people wake up when an operation is still happening and what can be done to help prevent it in the future? Professor Tim Cook, anaesthetist, explains. Plus, BBC reporter Daniel Pardo reports from Venezuela where illegal gold mining has caused a huge rise in cases of malaria. (Photo: Airline pilots in a cockpit. Credit: Getty Images)