Office of Air and Radiation (6205J) EPA-430-F-10-031 August 2010
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the
United States.1"4 This fact sheet presents statistics about skin
cancer for Michigan and the United States as a whole.
just the facts: Skin Cancer in Michigan
• Sunburns. A 2004 survey found that 45.6% of white adults in Michigan had at
least one sunburn in the pastyear.5 Sunburns are a significant risk factor for the
development of skin cancer.6'8
• New Cases of Melanoma. An estimated 2,240 state residents were diagnosed with
melanoma in 2009.2 Melanoma is responsible for about 75% of all skin cancer deaths.9'10
• During 2006,31.1% of all newly diagnosed cases of melanoma in Michigan had
spread to other organs before detection.11 If melanoma is detected after it has
spread, the five-year survival rate is 15.9%.12
• Grand Traverse County has the highest rate of new melanoma diagnoses in the
state—higher than about 97% of counties nationwide.9
• Deaths from Melanoma. About 248 people in Michigan die of melanoma every year.
Since 1975, the melanoma death rate has almost doubled.13
• From 2002-2006, melanoma had the fourth fastest rising death rate among all
cancers in Michigan.13
1 43 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
survivor story: Ellen Simmons
My battle with melanoma began when I noticed a dark mole on my thigh changing;
it had irregular borders and bled occasionally. Three months later, I had the mole
biopsied. The diagnosis shocked me: I had Stage III melanoma.
Growing upon a lake in Iowa, I never wore sunscreen. Atan was importantto me, and I often used
tanning beds as an adult. I now know all too well the cost of a tan; it's not worth it. Today, I always use
sunscreen and get a full-body check by my doctors every six months. If you catch it early, melanoma is
a curable cancer. I often think how my prognosis might have been different if I had waited another few
months to have my original biopsy. I am thankful every day for that decision.
Ellen Simmons, a res/dent of Bath, Michigan, was 44 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage III melanoma.
Annual Rate of New
Melanoma Diagnoses,
2002-20069
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year
per 100,000 People
Q] 7.4-13.8 Q 13.9-20.4 Q 20.5-27.0 | 27.1-33.5
n Data Not Available
Melanoma Death Rates,
2002-2006"
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Deaths per Year
per 100,000 People
PI 2.3-2.4 n 2.5-2.6 H 2.7-2.8 \~\ 2.9-3.1
Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil-based inks on processed chlorine-free 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.14'15
statistics: Cause for Concern
• In 2009, 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 2009 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 2009,1 in 58 will be diagnosed
with invasive melanoma18—more than 25 times the
rate for people born in 1935.19
National Annual Rate of New Melanoma Diagnoses, 2002-200620
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages, Age-adjusted Rates
•>S AK
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year per 100,000 People
D 10.3-15.8 D15-9-17.5 D™-19.* D 195-22.0 • 22.1-30.1
D Data Not Available
* 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, each quintile includes nine states. For example, the nine states with the highest
melanoma rates—22.1 to 30.1 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.6162125
Taking simple steps as early in life as possible can reduce one's risk.2"4'26'27
• Early detection of melanoma can save one's life.28"34 Skin examinations
may be the best way to detect skin cancer early.2'35~39
• 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.40 41
• Student self-reported data42—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.43
• 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.43
1~43 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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