Skin cancer

Incidence rates

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.^1,2

• Current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.³

• It is estimated that approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.^4-6

• It is estimated that the overall incidence of BCC increased by 145% between 1976-1984 and 2000-2010, and the overall incidence of SCC increased 263% over that same period.⁷

  • Women had a greater increase in incidence than men for both types of NMSC.⁷

• More than 1 million Americans are living with melanoma.⁸

• It is estimated that 200,340 new cases of melanoma, 99,700 noninvasive (in situ) and 100,640 invasive, will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2024.⁵

  • Invasive melanoma is projected to be the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer for both men (59,170 cases) and women (41,470 cases) in 2024.^5,9

• Melanoma rates in the United States have been rising rapidly over the past 30 years — doubling from 1982 to 2011 — but trends within the past decade vary by age.^1,5,10 There has been a 31.5% increase between 2011 and 2019.¹¹

  • Since the early 2000s invasive melanoma incidence rates have stabilized in women younger than 50 and steadily increased by 3% per year in women 50 or older. In men younger than 50, rates have declined by 1% per year and stabilized in men 50 or older. Overall, incidence rates of invasive melanoma are higher in women compared to men who are younger than 50. In contrast, men who are 50 or older have a higher rate of invasive melanoma compared to women of the same age group. This difference may be due to historical occupational and recreational exposure to UV radiation as well as trends in indoor tanning use by young women.⁵

• White populations have higher rates of melanoma compared to other races.^5,12

  • Lifetime risk of getting melanoma is about 3% for white people (1 in 33), 0.1% (1 in 1,000) for Black people, and 0.5% (1 in 200) for Hispanic people.¹² There is a melanoma incidence of 1.3 in 1,000 for Asian/Pacific Islanders and 10.3 in 1,000 for Native Americans.^5,13

• Skin cancer can affect anyone, regardless of skin color.

  • The incidence of melanoma among non-Hispanic White individuals is almost 30 times higher than that among non-Hispanic Black or Asian/Pacific Islander individuals.^5,12

  • Skin cancer in patients with darker skin tones is often diagnosed in its later stages, when it’s more difficult to treat.^14-18

    • Research has shown that patients with darker skin tones are less likely than patients with lighter skin tones to survive melanoma.^16-19

    • Twenty-two percent of melanoma cases in African American patients are diagnosed when the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, while 14% are diagnosed when the cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes and other organs.²⁰

  • People with darker skin tones are prone to skin cancer in areas that aren’t commonly exposed to the sun, like the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, the groin and the inside of the mouth. They also may develop melanoma under their nails.^18,21

• Skin cancer rates are higher in women than in men before age 50, but are higher in men after age 50, which may be related to differences in recreation and work-related UV exposure.⁵

  • It is estimated that melanoma will affect 1 in 28 men and 1 in 41 women in their lifetime.⁵

  • Invasive melanoma rates among individuals younger than age 50 have stabilized in women and declined by about 1% per year in men since the early 2000s.⁵

  • In adults 50 or older, the rates continue to increase in women by about 3% per year but have stabilized in men in recent years.⁵

• Melanoma patients have nearly 9 times the risk of developing a second primary melanoma compared to the general public.²²

  • While melanoma is less common for people with darker skin tones, those diagnosed with it have a similar rate of second primary melanomas as those with lighter skin tones.

Survival rates

• Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the two most common forms of skin cancer, are highly treatable if detected early and treated properly.^5,6

• The five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 94%.⁵

• The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to nearby lymph nodes is 74%. The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to distant lymph nodes and other organs is 35%.⁵

Mortality rates

• The vast majority of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma.⁵

• Nearly 20 Americans die from melanoma every day. In 2024, it is estimated that 8,290 deaths will be attributed to melanoma — 5,430 men and 2,860 women.⁵

• Research indicates that men with melanoma generally have lower survival rates than women with melanoma.^5,8,22

• Overall melanoma death rates drastically declined between 2014 and 2019 by nearly 4%.⁵

Risk factors

• Excess exposure to UV radiation from sunlight or use of indoor tanning also increases risk for all skin cancer types, as does a personal history of the disease.⁵

• The majority of melanoma cases are attributable to UV exposure.^23-26

• Research suggests that regular sunscreen use may reduce risk of melanoma.^26-29

  • Higher melanoma rates among men may be due in part to lower rates of sun protection.¹

  • Men are also less likely than women to examine their own skin or go to a dermatologist for skin examination.³⁰

• Sunburns during childhood or adolescence can increase the odds of developing melanoma later in life.³¹

  • Experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20 increases one’s melanoma risk by 80% and nonmelanoma skin cancer risk by 68%.³²

• Exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma, including early onset melanoma.^23,33

  • Women younger than 30 are six times more likely to develop melanoma if they tan indoors.³⁴

  • The younger a person is when they use tanning beds and the more annual use of indoor tanning they have increases their risk of the development of melanoma and NMSC.²³

• Risk factors for all types of skin cancer include skin that burns easily; blonde or red hair; a history of excessive sun exposure, including sunburns; tanning bed use; a weakened immune system; and a history of skin cancer.⁵

  • People with more than 50 moles, atypical moles or large moles are at an increased risk of developing melanoma, as are those as are sun-sensitive individuals (e.g., those who sunburn easily, or have natural blonde or red hair) and those with a personal or family history of melanoma.^5,35

• Melanoma survivors have an approximately eight-fold increased risk of developing another melanoma compared to the general population.³⁶

• Men and women with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer are at a higher risk of developing melanoma than people without a nonmelanoma skin cancer history.^37,38

• White individuals who have had more than one melanoma have an increased risk of developing both subsequent melanomas and other cancers, including those of the breast, prostate, and thyroid.³⁹

Prevention and detection

• Because exposure to UV light is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, the American Academy of Dermatology encourages everyone to stay out of indoor tanning beds and protect their skin outdoors by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing — including a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection — and applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing.^24-26,40

  • For more effective sun protection, select clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) number on the label.

  • Because severe sunburns during childhood and adolescence may increase one’s risk of melanoma, children should be especially protected from the sun.⁵

• Skin cancer warning signs include changes in size, shape, or color of a mole or other skin lesion, the appearance of a new growth on the skin, or a sore that doesn't heal. If you notice any spots on your skin that are different from the others, or anything changing, itching or bleeding, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you make an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist.

  • While about 20-30% of melanomas develop in existing moles, 70-80% arise on seemingly normal skin.^41-46

• The American Academy of Dermatology encourages everyone to perform regular skin self-exams to check for signs of skin cancer.

  • About half of melanomas are self-detected.^41-45

• Regular skin self-exams are important for people who are at higher risk of skin cancer, such as people with a personal and/or family history of skin cancer.⁴⁶

• A dermatologist can make individual recommendations as to how often a person needs a skin exam from a doctor based on individual risk factors, including skin type, history of sun exposure and family history.

Cost

• In 2012-2015 and 2016-2018, 5.8 and 6.1 million people treated for any skin cancer in the U.S. respectively. The overall cost was $8 billion in 2012-2015 and then rose to $8.9 billion in 2016-2018.⁴⁷ The estimated annual cost for all skin cancers was more than $8 and $8.9 million respectively. The average annual cost per person was more than $1,300 and $1,400 respectively.

  • The number of people treated for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in 2012-2015 and 2016-2018 was 5 and 5.2 million respectively.⁴⁷ The estimated annual cost for NMSC was more than $5 and $6.5 billion respectively. The average annual cost per person was more than $1,000 and $1,200 respectively.

  • The number of people treated for melanoma in 2012-2015 and 2016-2018 was 900,000 and 1 million.⁴⁷ The estimated annual cost for melanoma was more than $2.9 and $2.4 billion, respectively. The estimate average annual cost per person was more than $3,300 and $2,400 respectively.

• Researchers estimate that there were more than 82,000 U.S. emergency department visits related to sunburn between 2013-2015, for an estimated average cost of more than $1,100 per visit.⁴⁸

References

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