Skin Cancer - Top 15 Facts

What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of a mass of cells, which most often develops on the skin exposed to the sun (1^✔).

Globally, two to three million non-melanoma skin cancers and 1,32,000 melanoma skin cancers occur each year. According to statistics, one in every three cancers diagnosed is a skin cancer (2^✔).
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. It occurs in more than a million Americans each year. One in every five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, according to Skin Cancer Foundation Statistics (2^✔).
More than 90% of all skin cancers develop on the body parts that get exposed to the sun most of the time (3^✔).
Melanoma will account for more than 1,97,700 new cases of skin cancer in 2022. Men develop melanoma on the shoulders and hips. Women develop melanoma on the arms and legs (4^✔).
On an average, one American dies from melanoma every hour. According to statistics, 7,990 deaths will be melanoma – 5,420 men and 2,570 women (5^✔).
About 25% of malignant melanoma are diagnosed in people aged 75 and over. Young women up to the age of 34 are more likely to be diagnosed with malignant melanoma (6^✔).
Tanning beds pose 1.5 times more risk for developing basal cell carcinoma and 2.5 times more risk for squamous cell carcinoma.

Excessive exposure to the sun damages the skin cells during childhood. Research studies suggest that exposure to UV radiation in adulthood triggers these damaged cells to turn cancerous.
Skin cancer in India is on the rise due to rapid urbanization, which results in increased pollution due to the vehicles, smoke emitted from industries.

The risk of skin cancer increases with five or more sunburns in a lifetime, and one bad sunburn can double the likelihood of melanoma.
In people with darker skin tones, melanoma develops in areas that are not frequently exposed, such as palms and soles.
Basal cell carcinoma commonly develops on the head, neck and upper body. Squamous cell carcinoma develops on the nose, ears, forehead, lower lip, and hands (7^✔).
Skin cancer can affect people of different skin tones, including those with a darker complexion. In African American skin, melanin produced by melanocytes provides protection against the effects of sun. But, skin cancer is more prevalent in Caucasians due to their light skin color and low amounts of melanin (7^✔).

The risk of skin cancer can be reduced by limiting the exposure to ultraviolet radiation (8^✔).
Examination and screening of skin cancer should be included as part of any health check-up for men and women beginning at age 20.