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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