Sunscreen and Cancer
UVA and UVB are the two main types of UV radiation known to contribute to skin cancer, wrinkling, and skin aging. To get the most protection, you need to filter out a significant proportion of both types of rays by using “broad spectrum” sunscreens.
Heredity plays a major role in skin cancer as entire families can be melanoma-prone. Other major risk factors are fair-skinned individuals, blond or red hair, blue or hazel eyes, people with many moles or any large, atypical moles are also at higher risk.
The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the sun causes 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 65 percent of melanomas. Each year, there are an estimated million or more new cases of the nonmelanoma skin cancers basal and squamous cell carcinoma.
- One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime, and more than 11,500 people die from it each year.
- More than one million cases of basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, were diagnosed in 2009.
- An estimated 250,000 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common form of skin cancer, were diagnosed in 2009. Approximately 2,500 Americans die each year from squamous cell carcinoma.
- An estimated 68,720 cases of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, were diagnosed in 2009, resulting in 8650 deaths.
- Exposure to tanning beds before the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75%.
- Young women, under the age of 39, have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer except breast cancer.
- Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old.
- Melanoma can be completely cured when diagnosed early, 99% of melanoma patients survive longer than 5 years.
