Skin Cancer Statistics

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer—basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas—are highly curable. However, melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous, especially among young people. About 65%–90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light or sunlight.¹

The following statistics refer to new cases of, and deaths from, melanomas of the skin. Non-epithelial skin cancers, which are not reflected below, represent 7% of skin cancers that are tracked by central cancer registries. These statistics also do not include data for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, which are not tracked by central cancer registries.

In 2005,*²

• 53,792 people in the United States were diagnosed with melanomas of the skin, 30,544 of them men and 23,248 of them women.
• 50,589 whites, 1,122 Hispanics, 261 blacks, 159 Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 95 American Indians/Alaska Natives in the United States were diagnosed with melanomas of the skin.

That same year,²

• 8,345 people in the United States died of melanomas of the skin, 5,283 of them men and 3,062 of them women.
• 8,146 whites, 168 Hispanics, 124 blacks, 55 Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 20 American Indians/Alaska Natives in the United States died of melanomas of the skin.

Research shows that most skin cancers can be prevented if people are protected from UV light.¹

*The most recent year for which statistics are currently available. Incidence counts cover approximately 96% of the U.S. population. Death counts cover 100% of the U.S. population. Use caution in comparing incidence and death counts.

References

¹Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for school programs to prevent skin cancer. MMWR 2002;51(No. RR-4):1–16.

²U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.