1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. Melanoma rates have increased about 6% each year since 1938, the year sunblock was invented.

There are several different types of skin cancers. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 2.8 million people are diagnosed annually in the US. Basel cell carcinomas are rarely fatal, but can be highly disfiguring if allowed to grow. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 700,000 cases are diagnosed each year in the US, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths.

About 90 percent of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are associated with exposure to UV radiation. The incidence of the most serious type of skin cancer – melanoma – continues to rise significantly. Approximately 68,720 melanomas will be diagnosed this year, with nearly 8,650 resulting in death. Melanoma accounts for about three percent of skin cancer cases, but it causes more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths. The vast majority of mutations found in melanoma are caused by UV radiation.

(Source: Skin Cancer Foundation – Robinson JK. Sun Exposure, Sun Protection, and Vitamin D. JAMA 2005; 294: 1541-43.)

Comments are closed.