Approximately 1.3 million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year. Fortunately, the cure rate for skin cancer is almost 100% if found and treated early. If you notice a new growth on your skin or any changes in an existing skin growth, don’t assume it’s nothing to worry about. Get your skin evaluated by Dr. Peterson Pierre at Pierre Skin Care Institute. Dr. Pierre is a Stanford-trained dermatologist who’s made skin cancer diagnosis and treatment one of the cornerstones of his practice. He can accurately diagnose malignant (cancerous) tumors and remove them right in the office. Dr. Pierre will determine the most effective treatment plan based on your individual condition.
AAD 2008 Skin Cancer Fact Sheet
- More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year.
- Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are the two most common forms of skin cancer, but are easily treated if detected early.1
- Current estimates are that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.2
- Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old.3
- Melanoma is increasing faster in females 15-29 years old than males in the same age group. In females 15-29 years old, the torso is the most common location for developing melanoma which may be due to deliberate sun tanning.3
- Melanoma in individuals 10-39 years old is highly curable with five-year survival rates exceeding 90 percent.
- 1 in 58 men and women will be diagnosed with melanoma during their lifetime. Caucasians and men over 50 years of age are at a higher risk of developing melanoma than the general population.4
- It is estimated that there will be about 116,500 new cases of melanoma in 2008 — 54,020 noninvasive (in situ) and 62,480 invasive (34,950 men and 27,530 women).1
- One American dies of melanoma almost every hour (every 62 minutes). In 2008, 8,420 deaths will be attributed to melanoma — 5,400 men and 3,020 women.1
- The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 65,161 people a year worldwide die from too much sun, mostly from malignant skin cancer.5
- More than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma.1
- The five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 99 percent.1
- In 2004, the total direct cost associated with the treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer was $1.5 billion.6
- The American Cancer Society recommends periodic skin examination as part of any cancer related check-up depending on a person's age and gender.1
- Individuals with a history of melanoma should have a full body exam at least annually and perform regular self-exams for new and changing moles.7
- Five-year survival rates for regional and distant stage melanomas are 65% and 15%, respectively.1
1 American Cancer Society. 2008 Cancer Facts and Figures.
http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/2008CAFFfinalsecured.pdf
2 Robinson JK. Sun Exposure, Sun Protection, and Vitamin D. JAMA 2005; 294: 1541-43.
3 Cancer Epidemiology in Older Adolescents & Young Adults. SEER AYA Monograph Pages 53-57. 2007.
4 Melanoma of the Skin, Cancer Fact Sheets, National Cancer Institute, SEER database, 2007
http://seer.cancer.gov
5 World Health Organization, Solar ultraviolet radiation: Global burden of disease from solar ultraviolet radiation. Environmental Burden of Disease Series, N.13. 2006.
6 Bickers DR, Lim HW, Margolis D et al. The burden of skin diseases: 2004 a joint project of the American Academy of Dermatology Association and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2006; 55: 490-500.
7 Berg A. Screening for skin cancer. US Preventive Services Task Force, 2007.
