Office of Air and Radiation (6205J) EPA-430-F-09-063 May 2009
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Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the
United States.1"4 This fact sheet presents statistics about skin
cancer for Maine and the United States as a whole.
just the facts: Skin Cancer in Maine
• Sunburns on the Rise. A 2004 survey found that 42.6% of white adults in Maine had at
least one sunburn in the past year—an increase from 37% 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 25% higher in Maine than the national
average from 2001-2005 and was the 10th highest in the U.S.9'10 An estimated
410 state residents were diagnosed with melanoma in 2008.2
• Among whites—who are at the highest risk for melanoma—Maine had the
16th highest melanoma incidence rate in the U.S. from 2001-2005.15
• Deaths from Melanoma. Approximately 45 people in Maine die of melanoma
every year.11 Maine had the 14th highest melanoma death rate nationally from
2001 -2005—11 % higher than the U.S. average.12
Melanoma Death Rates,
2001-2005"
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Deaths per Year
per 100,000 People
O 2.2-2.3 Q 2.4-2.6 | 2.7-2
1 41 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
survivor story: Jessica Dejongh
In 2003, a new mole appeared on my left shin that was oddly-shaped. A nurse
practitioner pointed it out during a routine exam and made mean appointment to
get the mole removed right away, but I didn't think much of it. I was completely
unprepared forthe results: I had Stage II melanoma.
The next year was difficult. I was 27 years old and fighting for my life! I had
scarring surgery and a year of interferon treatments that made me feel like I had the flu and made
my hair fall out. I was one of the fortunate ones. They found my melanoma early. Since completing
the treatment, I've been cancer-free for more than five years.
While I sunburned frequently as a child and young adult, I've changed my ways. Now I'm taking
precautions to prevent more skin damage. Learn from my experience and stay in the shade or inside
between 10AM and 4 PM, wear sunscreen, and take the time to reapply it generously and often.
Remember to help your kids develop these sun-safe habits: we each have only one skin to live in!
Jessica DeJongh, a first grade teacher from Manchester, Maine, teaches her students and their parents about sun safety.
Annual Rate of New
Melanoma Diagnoses,
2001-20059
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year
per 100,000 People
Ql4.9-18.3 L~]18.4-21.9 fJ]22.0-25.5
[2 Suppressed Data
© 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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