Office of Air and Radiation (6205J) EPA-430-F-10-034 January 2011
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the
United States.1"4 This fact sheet presents statistics about skin
cancer for Pennsylvania and the United States as a whole.
just the facts: Skin Cancer in Pennsylvania
• Sunburns. A 2004 survey found that 42.7% of white adults in Pennsylvania 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 3,440 state residents were diagnosed with
melanoma in 2009.2 Melanoma is responsible for about 75% of all skin cancer deaths.2'9
• The rate of new melanoma diagnoses is about 41 % higher among men than
women in Pennsylvania.10
• Montour County has the highest rate of new melanoma diagnoses in the
state—higher than 96% of counties nationwide.10
• Deaths from Melanoma. About 426 people in Pennsylvania die of melanoma
everyyear. From 1975-2007,the melanoma death rate more than doubled among
residents over the age of 50.11
• The rate of melanoma deaths among men is more than double the rate among
women in Pennsylvania.11
• Monroe County has the highest melanoma death rate in Pennsylvania—
59% higher than the national average.11
1~40 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
survivor story: Richard Beston
I thought nothing of the small bump on my shoulder until my doctor got worried
during an unrelated visit. He sent me for a biopsy that day. The diagnosis was
shocking: Stage IVmelanoma. My wife, Ann, was pregnant with our second child,
and our first was only 11 months. It was devastating.
I underwent a clinical trial, chemotherapy, immune-boosting shots and three
surgeries—removing parts of one lung and an entire lobe of the other. Five years later, I had a non-
melanoma skin cancer removed in another surgery. My oncologist calls me a miracle; I've been
cancer-free eightyears!
As a child and adult, I got blistering sunburns all too often, once so severe I needed medical care! I
didn't know my fair skin and family history of melanoma put me at risk. I limit sun exposure as best I can
now and keep sunscreen on hand for the times I can't. I spend time with melanoma patients trying to
give them hope. And I'm always reminding people: when in doubt, get it checked out!
Richard Beston, a res/dent of Paoli, PA, works to advance melanoma research.
Annual Rate of New
Melanoma Diagnoses,
2003-200710
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year
per 100,000 People
Q 8.2-14.1 Qu.2-20.1 fj 20.2-26.1 | 26.2-32.0
n Data Not Available
Melanoma Death Rates,
2003-2007"
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Deaths per Year
per 100,000 People
n 1.9-2.4 n 2.5-3.1 0 3.2-3.7
n Data Not Available
3.8-4.3
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.12'13
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.14
• 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).15
• For people born in 2009,1 in 58 will be diagnosed
with invasive melanoma16—more than 25 times the
rate for people born in 1935.17
National Annual Rate of New Melanoma Diagnoses, 2003-2007"
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages, Age-adjusted Rates
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year per 100,000 People
Ds.3-15.9 Dl6J>-"-8 D"-9-19.7 • 19.8-22.5 •22.6-30.6
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 setting 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 47 states and D.C., four quintiles include ten states, and one quintile includes eight. For example, the eight states
with the highest melanoma rates—22.6 to 30.6 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.6141822
Taking simple steps as early in life as possible can reduce one's risk.2"4'23'24
• Early detection of melanoma can save one's life.25 31 Skin examinations
may be the best way to detect skin cancer early.2'32"36
• 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.37 38
• Student self-reported data39—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.40
• 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.40
1~40 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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