Office of Air and Radiation (6205J)  EPA-430-M4-004   March 2014
survivor story:

Nancy Gavin Mills

             I noticed the black,
             pink and scaly spot on
             my ear a while before
             visiting a clinic.  I wasn't
             too concerned since my
	  father's non-melanoma
cancers were treated easily. After the clinic
treatment failed, I waited a year  before
having it biopsied.  I was scared, but not
surprised, when diagnosed with  Stage II
melanoma, which later advanced to Stage
IV. I had 10 months of chemotherapy,  a
major surgery to biopsy a tumor  between
my lungs, and part of my ear and 34 lymph
nodes removed. I'll never be 'cured', but
I've been cancer-free for 5 years—a rarity
among advanced stage melanoma patients!

I felt invincible growing up. Though
everyone needs protection from  the sun's
rays, I learned I was at high risk  as a
freckled redhead with a family history of
skin cancer. Now I avoid peak sun hours
and wear a hat, sunglasses, and high SPF
sunscreen, making sure to reapply  every
two hours. I also share my story  with  others
and encourage them to be sun safe and
vigilant about skin  changes.

Nancy Gavin Mills, a resident of Missoula, MT, was 38
when 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 Montana and the
United States.

just the  facts: Skin  Cancer in Montana
• Sunburns. A survey conducted in 2004 found that more than 40% of
   White adults in Montana 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 250 residents of Montana will be
   diagnosed with melanoma in 2013.3 Melanoma  is responsible for about 75%
   of all deaths from skin cancer.3'11

   •   The rate of new melanoma diagnoses is growing nearly seven times
      faster in  Montana than in the United States, increasing at a  rate of
      more than 3% per year from 2005 to 2009.12

• Deaths from Melanoma. About 31 people died of melanoma in Montana
   every year from 2005 to 2009.13

   •   Montana's death rate from melanoma was the 24th highest
      nationwide from 2005 to 2009.13
                                              1 41 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 Death Rates, 2005-2009"
              All Races, Both Sexes, All Ages
                     Melanoma Diagnoses perYear per 100,000 People
                     n 14.3-17.1  n 17.2-20.0 n 20.1-22.9 • 23.0-26.0
                                    Melanoma Deaths perYear per 100,000 People
                                    n 2.1-2.3  n 2.4-2.6  H 2.7-2.9  • 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

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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