Office of Air and Radiation (6205J) EPA-430-F-09-061 May 2009
wEPA
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the
United States.1"4 This fact sheet presents statistics about skin
cancer for Connecticut and the United States as a whole.
small state: Big Problem
• Sunburns on the Rise. A 2004 survey found that 43.1 % of white adults in
Connecticut had at least one sunburn in the past year—an increase from 33.3% in
1999.5 Sunburns are a significant risk factor for the development of skin cancer.6'8
• New Cases of Melanoma. The rate of new melanoma diagnoses—responsible for
75% of all skin cancer deaths—was 31% higher in Connecticut than the national
average from 2001 -2005 and was the 8th highest in the U.S.9'10 An estimated 1,060
state residents were diagnosed with melanoma in 2008.2
• New London County has the highest rate of melanoma diagnoses in the state,
79% above the national average.9
• Deaths from Melanoma. Approximately 110 people in Connecticut die of melanoma
every year.11 Connecticut had the 17th highest melanoma death rate nationally from
2001 -2005—7.4% higher than the U.S. average.12
• Tolland County has the highest melanoma death rate in the state, 30% higher
than the national average.11
1 41 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
survivor story: Paul Buchanan
In 1995 I had what I thought was a wart removed by my dermatologist. A week
later, my doctor called to tell me I had Stage IV melanoma. The prognosis was not
good: I was initially given about a year to live. Fortunately, I entered an experimental
treatment program that kept the cancer in remission for the next 9 years.
When a lump appeared in my leg again in 2005, tests revealed that the cancer was
back and had spread to my bone marrow. I started intense lnterleukin-2 therapy, and after four brutal
weeks, another biopsy found the cancer was gone. I've now been cancer-free for over three years,
and my doctors believe a recurrence is unlikely.
My experience with melanoma has driven home the importance of preventing overexposure to the sun.
Exposure today can cause problems in the future, so parents should teach their children to always
wear sunscreen. Putting on sunscreen should be second nature, just like wearing a seat belt in the car.
Melanoma can be dangerous, but it is also a highly preventable cancer.
Paul Buchanan, a resident of Southington, Connecticut was 35 when he was first diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma.
Melanoma Death Rates,
2001-2005"
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Deaths per Year
per 100,000 People
fj2.7-2.8 fj 2.9-3.1 | 13.2-3.;
Q Suppressed Data
Annual Rate of New
Melanoma Diagnoses,
2001-20059
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year
per 100,000 People
15.7-19.5 fj 19.6-23.5 [
Suppressed Data
23.6-27.4 27.5-31.3
© Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil-based inks on paper that contains at least 50% post-consumer fiber.
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The Cost of Skin Cancer
In the U.S., medical costs to treat
skin cancer are estimated at almost
$2 billion annually.13'14
statistics: Cause for Concern
• In 2008, more than 1 million people were diagnosed
with skin cancer, making it the most common of all
cancers.1"4 More people were diagnosed with skin
cancer in 2008 than with breast, prostate, lung, and
colon cancer combined.2 About 1 in 5 Americans
will develop skin cancer during their lifetime.16
• One American dies of melanoma almost every hour.2
• Melanoma is the second most common form of
cancer for adolescents and young adults (15-29
years old).17
• For people born in 2005,1 in 55 will be diagnosed
with melanoma12— nearly 30 times the rate for
people born in 1930.18
National Annual Rate of New Melanoma Diagnoses, 2001-2005"
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages, Age-adjusted Rates
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year per 100,000 Peopl
' Please note that delays in reporting melanoma cases to cancer registries are more common since they are usually
diagnosed and treated in non-hospital settings such as physician offices. States are grouped into quintiles based
on rates of melanoma diagnoses. A quintile is a statistical "block" representing 20% of a total. Because data
are available for only 45 states and D.C., four quintiles include nine states, and one includes 10. For example,
the ten states with the highest melanoma rates—21.8 to 28.6 diagnoses per 100,000 residents every year—are
in the top quintile.
what works:
An Ounce of Prevention
• Unprotected exposure to ultraviolet light—a known human carcinogen
—is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer.6161923 Taking
simple steps as early in life as possible can reduce one's risk.2'4'24'25
• Early detection of melanoma can save one's life.26 32 Skin
examinations may be the best way to detect skin cancer early.2'33'37
• The CDC found evidence that education and policy approaches in
primary schools (for children) and in recreational or tourism settings
(for adults) can improve sun safety behaviors.38 39
• Student self-reported data40—collected as part of the U.S. EPA's
SunWise Program—showed that teachers using the SunWise Tool
Kit for 1-2 hours yearly can spur increases in students' sun safety
knowledge and attitudes and small to modest improvements in short-
term sun safety behaviors.41
• Using the data mentioned above, published modeling results
show SunWise teaching between 1999 and 2015 could prevent
more than 50 premature deaths and 11,000 future cases of skin
cancer, saving the country more than $30 million in medical costs
and productivity losses.41
1~41 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
skin cancer prevention:
Action Steps
• Do Not Burn. Overexposure to the sun is the
most preventable risk factor for skin cancer.
• Avoid Sun Tanning and Tanning Beds.
UV light from tanning beds and the sun
causes skin cancer and wrinkling.
• Use Sunscreen. Generously apply a broad
spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or
higher. Reapply at least every two hours, and
after swimming or sweating.
• Cover Up. Wear protective clothing, such as
a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed
hat, and sunglasses with 99-100% UVA/UVB
protection, when possible.
• Seek Shade. Seek shade when the sun's
UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m.
and 4 p.m.
• Watch for the UV Index. Pay attention to the
UV Index when planning outdoor activities to
prevent overexposure to the sun.
www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin
www.epa.gov/sunwise
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