Reports on skin cancer claim that more than 5 million people are treated for skin cancer in the US in the year 2015. A recent publication on the melanoma statistics also describes that more than 70,000 cases of invasive melanoma reported in the last two years. As of September 2015, UV tanning devices have proven to have negative effects on human skin. Scientists now have proof that UV rays are active human carcinogens. Just like the natural sun rays, the UV rays emitted from the indoor tanners can cause skin cancer in humans.
Out of the total number of deaths due to skin cancer, 419,000 skin cancer cases are only due to indoor tanning. It seems men and women between the ages of 15 to 39 are more likely to have skin cancer due to indoor tanning and outdoor sun exposure. About 86 percent of the skin cancer cases are due to exposure to the UV radiation.
In comparison with Hispanic and blacks, whites are more prone to develop skin cancer related diseases due to the harmful UV rays. The highest number of skin cancer cases is melanoma cases. In addition, there are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Late stage melanoma diagnosis is very common among Caucasians. Based on the latest reports on the total cost spent towards the cancer treatment in the USA, the annual cost is around $8.1 billion. This cost is totally towards melanoma treatment only. Apart from that, the cost towards the treatment of nonmelanoma is $4.8 billion.
As of 2015, one person in the USA dies of melanoma skin cancer every hour. The new estimate shows that 9,940 people will die only from melanoma this year out of the estimated 73,870 new cases of invasive melanoma diagnosed this year. Although melanoma cases are less than two percent of the total skin cancer cases, but the vast majority of skin cancer deaths are due to melanoma. Melanoma is also majorly found in teens of 15 to 19 years old. About six percent of the teen population between the ages of 15-19 years old is affected with melanoma. A recently released study also reveals that melanoma is the most common form of cancer in young adults.
The average survival rate of melanoma is 91 percent if diagnosed early. The survival rate for melanoma patients is higher if detected early before the tumor has spread to vital organs and lymph nodes. Based on a report, the survival rate is 98 percent in the USA. However, the survival rate is 63 percent if the tumor has spread to the regional lymph nodes.
Ref:
https://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/conditions/skin-cancer
http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts