Facts About Skin Cancer

Facts about skin cancer:
According to the latest statistics available from the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Cancer of the skin is the most common of all cancers in the United States.

• More than 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the US each year.

• Melanoma represents only 4 percent of all skin cancers in the US, but accounts for more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths.

• Although exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays is said to be the most important factor in the cause of skin cancers, about 70 percent of American adults do not use sun-protection measures.

• Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but skin damage from the sun begins at an early age. Therefore, protection should start in childhood to prevent skin cancer later in life.

In addition, consider the following statistics from the American Cancer Society and the American Academy of Dermatology:

• Both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas have a 95 percent cure rate when detected and treated early.

• Melanoma incidence rates are 20 times higher for Caucasians than for African-Americans. However, people with dark-pigmented skin can also develop melanoma, particularly on the palms of the hands, on the soles of the feet, under the nails, and inside the mouth.

• Melanoma is more common than any non-skin cancer among women between 25 and 29 years old.

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