Office of Air and Radiation (6205J) EPA-430-M4-009 April 2014
v>EPA
miiitiiim fliniiri
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in the
United States.1"5 This fact sheet presents statistics about skin
cancer for Alabama and the United States.
just the facts: Skin Cancer in Alabama
• Sunburns. A survey conducted in 2004 found that nearly 40% of White adults in
Alabama had experienced at least one sunburn in the past year.6 Sunburns are a
significant risk factor for the development of skin cancer.4'7'10
• New Cases of Melanoma. An estimated 1,300 residents of Alabama will be
diagnosed with melanoma in 2013.3 Melanoma is responsible for about 75% of all
deaths from skin cancer.3'11
• From 2005 to 2009, the rate of new melanoma diagnoses among White residents of
Alabama was higherthan the national average rate for this group.12
• Deaths from Melanoma. About 156 people in Alabama die of melanoma everyyear.13
• From 2005 to 2009, Alabama was tied with Hawaii for the highest death rate from
melanoma nationwide among Whites, who are at the highest risk for melanoma.13
• The death rate from melanoma in Alabama was more than 30% higher than the
national average in 2009.13
1 41 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
survivor story: Stephanie Brumfield
In April 2010,1 noticed a small, scabbed mole on my forearm that would not heal.
When I took my son to a dermatologist appointment, I asked about it. The doctor said
the mole looked suspicious and immediately took a biopsy. The mole turned out to be
malignant melanoma. I was shocked and terrified, and I called my husband and wept.
I had surgeryto removethe mole with wide margins, aswell as a sentinel lymph node.
Thankfully, the node biopsy was negative, and three years later, I am now cancer-free.
I used to be a frequent, year-round tanning bed user, and I even owned my own tanning bed. As
a teenager, I often got sunburned from tanning outdoors without sunscreen. I disliked my fair
complexion and became addicted to tanning because I always wanted to "have some color." After my
diagnosis, however, I stopped tanning and got rid of my tanning bed. Now I always use sunscreen and
a hat or umbrella while in the sun. I urge people to practice sun-safety, including never using tanning
beds and wearing sunscreen outdoors. I also encourage everyone to see a dermatologist regularly
and have suspicious moles checked immediately—early detection of skin cancer is key for successful
treatment. I am grateful that my melanoma was treated before it had the chance to spread.
Stephanie Brumfield was diagnosed with melanoma while living in Alabaster, Alabama.
Annual Rate of New
Melanoma Diagnoses,
2005-200912
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Diagnoses per Year
per 100,000 People
Q] 12.6-17.4 Q17.5-22.3 Q22.4-27.2 | 27.3-32.1
n Data Not Available
Melanoma Death Rates,
2005-200913
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
Melanoma Deaths per Year
per 100,000 People
n 2.2-2.4 n 2.5-2.7 Q 2.8-3.0 • 3.1-3.3
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 perYear per 100,000 People
D8.5-16.2 D16.3-18.7 Dl8.8-20.7 •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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