Office of Air and Radiation (6205J) EPA-430-F-14-006 February 2014
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the
United States.1"5 This fact sheet presents statistics about skin
cancer for Illinois and the United States.
just the facts: Skin Cancer in Illinois
• Sunburns. A survey conducted in 2004 found that over 40% of White adults in Illinois
had experienced at least one sunburn in the pastyear.6 Sunburns are a significant
risk factor for the development of skin cancer.4J-10
• New Cases of Melanoma. An estimated 2,480 residents of Illinois will be diagnosed
with melanoma in 2013.3 Melanoma is responsible for about 75% of all deaths from
skin cancer.3'11
• McDonough County had the highest rate of new melanoma diagnoses in Illinois
from 2005 to 2009,86% higher than the national average.12
• Between 2005 and 2009,49 counties in Illinois had rates of new melanoma
diagnoses that were above the national average.12
• Deaths from Melanoma. About 333 people died of melanoma in Illinois every year
from 2005 to 2009.13
• While the national death rate from melanoma has stabilized, the rate in Illinois
has been rising on average from 1975 to 2009.13
1 41 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
survivor story: Desiree Danesi
In April 2012,1 went to the dermatologist to have a mole on my face checked. I was wearing
capris, and the dermatologist noticed another mole below my left knee that he also removed.
A week later, I received a life-changing phone call: the mole on my leg was a melanoma, and
it had already spread. I was 25 years old, and my husband and I had just learned we were
expecting our second child. I was worried about me and my baby surviving.
After removing the mole and surrounding tissue, my treatment required five additional surgeries, all during my
pregnancy. My beautiful daughter was thankfully born healthy—with no complications from my surgeries—and I
haven't had a recurrence for a year.
Since I was a child, I spent a lot of time outdoors, and I used tanning beds as a teen and young adult. After my
diagnosis, I am much more conscious of the sun. I apply sunscreen when I go outside, which I never did before.
I will never use a tanning bed again—tanning is not worth your life 11 nowtell people about the dangers of
tanning and the importance of sun protection and regular checks with a dermatologist. I am so fortunate that I
sawthe dermatologist when I did.
Desiree Danesi, a resident of Carol Stream, IL, was diagnosed with melanoma at age 25.
Annual Rate of New
Melanoma Diagnoses,
2005-200912
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Diagnoses perYear
per 100,000 People
Q| 11.9-17.8 Q17.9-23.8 Q 23.9-29.81 29.9-35.8
n Data NotAvailable
Melanoma Death Rates,
2005-200913
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Deaths perYear
per 100,000 People
G 2.3-2.5 n 2.6-2.8 fj 2.9-3.1 Q 3.2-3.3
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 United States, medical costs to treat
melanoma skin cancer in 2010 were estimated
at almost $2.4 billion. These costs are projected
to reach at least $3.2 billion by 2020.14
statistics: Cause for Concern
• More than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are
diagnosed each year,2 making it the most common
of all cancers in the United States.135 More people
will be diagnosed with skin cancer in 2013 than the
number diagnosed with breast, prostate, lung, and
colon cancers combined.3 Without a reduction in skin
cancer incidence rates, about 1 in 5 non-Hispanic
Whites will get skin cancer in their lifetime.15
• One American dies of melanoma every hour.3
• Melanoma is the most commonly diagnosed cancer
and the second leading cause of cancer death for
young adults 25-29 years old.16
• For people born in 2009,1 in 50 will be diagnosed
with melanoma16—nearly 30 times the rate for
people born in the 1930s.17
National Annual Rate of New Melanoma Diagnoses, 2005-200912
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages, Age-adjusted Rates
-SAK
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year per 100,000 People
Q 8.5-16.2 Q 16.3-18.7 Q 18.8-20.7 • 20.8-22.5 • 22.6-29.8
* 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 50 states and D.C., four quintiles include ten states, and one quintile includes eleven. For example, the eleven states
with the highest melanoma rates—22.6 to 29.8 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.71823
Taking simple steps as early in life as possible can reduce one's risk.3'5'24'25
• Early detection of melanoma can save one's life.26 32 Skin examinations
may be the best way to detect skin cancer early.3'33~37
• 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.3839
• 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 30 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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