Statistics on Skin Cancer

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Statistics on skin cancer can be found below. These skin cancer statistics are for the United States population for the year 2008 unless otherwise indicated, but give an indication as to the prevalence of this skin care problem.

Statistics on New Cases and Deaths

The total number of estimated new cases of skin cancer (not including basal and squamous) in the United States in 2008 was 67,720. This is about 4.7 percent of the total of all new cancer cases (skin and others types of cancer) diagnosed in 2008 in the US. Of this total, 38,150 are males and 29,570 are females.

The total number of deaths related to skin cancer in the United States in 2008 is 11,200 and of this 7,360 were male and 3,840 were female. These deaths account for 2% of all the deaths attributed to cancer.

Skin Cancer Statistics: Location and Age Groups

Statistics on skin cancer show that the top five States showing new melanoma cases and skin cancer deaths are: California, Florida, Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The following skin cancer statistics show the probability of developing skin cancer over various age groups. The data is for the time period 2002-2004 and applies to the United States population:

• 0 to 39 years: 1 in 656 for males and 1 in 389 for females
• 40 to 59 years: 1 in 164 for males and 1 in 200 for females
• 60 to 69 years: 1 in 151 for males and 1 in 297 for females
• greater than 70 years: 1 in 64 in males and 1 in 140 for females
• overall from birth to death: 1 in 41 males will develop skin cancer and 1 in 61 females will develop skin cancer

Statistics on Skin Cancer: Five Year Survival Rates

Important statistics on skin cancer are five year survival rates. For local skin cancer (only affecting the skin) the five year US survival rate for the time range 1996-2003 is 98.5%. For the regional phase, or in other words the skin cancer has spread to surrounding tissues and involves lymph nodes in the vicinity of the original skin cancer, the rate is 65.2%. For the distant phase, where the cancer appears in parts of the body far away from the originally affected skin, the five year survival rate is 15.3%. Skin cancer has the best five year survival rate in the local phase when compared to other cancers. This makes early detection critical in the successful treatment of skin cancer.

Other skin cancer related resources:

the five signs | warning signs | skin cancer | prevention