Office of Air and Radiation (6205J)  EPA-430-M4-010  April 2014
survivor story:
Colleen Radish

              Foryears I had a mole on
              my lower back. One day, I
              noticed a drastic change in
           i   the mole color—so black
              that is was almost blue. My
	  doctor immediately referred
me to a dermatologist to have the mole
removed and biopsied. When my dermatologist
told me I had Stage I melanoma at age 24,1
was both scared and shocked. I was worried
about my future, since skin cancer runs in my
family and I spent a lot of time in the sun as
a child. In addition to the mole on my back, I
had a pre-cancerous lesion removed from my
face. Three years later, I was diagnosed with
Stage I melanoma again for a different area on
my lower back. Thankfully, I have now been
cancer-free for five years!

I feel fortunate to be a melanoma survivor
and have adopted lifelong sun safety habits.
I limit my time in the sun, always wear
sunscreen when outdoors, and encourage
my friends and family to do the same. My
best advice is to check your skin routinely
for any odd moles and monitor for any
significant changes overtime.

Colleen Radish, a resident of Memphis, Tennessee,
was 24 years old when she was first diagnosed
with melanoma.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed
in the United States.1"5 This fact sheet presents
statistics about skin cancer for Tennessee and the
United  States.

just the  facts:  Skin  Cancer in  Tennessee
• Sunburns. A survey conducted in 2004 found that 32% of White adults
   in Tennessee had experienced at least one sunburn in the pastyear.6
   Sunburns are a significant risk factor for the development of skin
          4,7-10
   cancer.

• New Cases of Melanoma. An estimated 1,900 residents of Tennessee will
   be diagnosed with melanoma in 2013.3 Melanoma is responsible for about
   75% of all deaths from skin cancer, with the remainder attributed to non-
   melanoma skin cancers (basal and squamous cell carcinomas).3'11

   •  The rate of new melanoma diagnoses in Tennessee was slightly higher
      than the national average from 2005 to 2009.12

   •  From 2005 to 2009, the rate of new melanoma diagnoses in Tennessee
      was rising faster than that of any other cancer among residents aged
      65 and older, except liver and bile duct cancer.12

• Deaths from Melanoma. About 194 people died of melanoma in Tennessee
   every year from 2005 to 2009.13

   •  Melanoma is one of just five cancers in Tennessee with a rising
      death rate. Among state residents aged 65 and older, melanoma has
      the fastest rising cancer death rate.13
M1 All references can be found on the SunWise Web site at: www.epa.gov/sunwise/statefacts.html
Annual Rate of New Melanoma Diagnoses, 2005-2009"
All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
  Melanoma Diagnoses per Year per 100,000 People
  0 8.6-15.5 0 15.6-22.5 Q 22.6-29.5 | 29.6-36.5
  0 Data Not Available
              Melanoma Death Rates, 2005-2009"
              All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
               Melanoma Deaths perYear per 100,000 People
               n 2.4-2.5  n 2.6-2.7  H 2.8-2.9  • 3.0-3.3
    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

'"" 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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