  Using results of a recent calculation of the $\Lambda(1520)$ in the nuclear
medium, which show that the medium width is about five times the free width, we
study the A dependence of the $\Lambda(1520)$ production cross section in the
reactions $\gamma ~A \to K^+ \Lambda(1520) A^\prime$ and $p~ A \to p~ K^+
\Lambda(1520) A^\prime$. We find a sizable A dependence in the ratio of the
nuclear cross sections for heavy nuclei with respect to a light one due to the
large value of the $\Lambda(1520)$ width in the medium, showing that devoted
experiments, easily within reach in present facilities, can provide good
information on that magnitude by measuring the cross sections studied here.
