WASHINGTON — Melanoma rates have doubled in the past 30 years, according to a monthly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rates increased from 11 cases per 100,000 people in 1982, to 23 cases per 100,000 people in 2011. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer.
“The rate of people getting melanoma continues to increase every year compared to the rates of most other cancers, which are declining,” Lisa Richardson, director of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, said in a statement.
Without sufficient prevention efforts, melanoma will continue to increase over the next 15 years, with 112,000 new cases projected in 2030, according to the CDC report.
“Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and it’s on the rise,” CDC Director Tom Frieden said in a statement.
“Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat and clothes that cover your skin. Find some shade if you’re outside, especially in the middle of the day when the dangerous rays from the sun are most intense, and apply broad-spectrum sunscreen.”
Learn more about how to prevent skin cancer.
