What to know
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.
Overview
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Central cancer registries collect data on melanoma of the skin and nonepithelial skin cancers such as Merkel cell carcinoma. Data on basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the most common types of skin cancer, are not normally collected by central cancer registries.
An examination of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data suggests that each year, about 6.1 million adults are treated for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas at a cost of about $8.9 billion.
Did you know?
Sunburn and UV protective behaviors
National survey data about sun protection, indoor tanning, and sunburn are collected through the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (for high school students) and the National Health Interview Survey (for adults aged 18 or older). Relevant results are available online, including:
Data for high school students
Data for adults
US Cancer Statistics Data Visualizations Tool
The Data Visualizations tool makes it easy for anyone to explore and use the latest official federal government cancer data from United States Cancer Statistics. It includes the latest cancer data covering the US population.
- Cancer Statistics At a Glance: See rates or numbers of melanomas of the skin or melanoma of the skin deaths for the entire United States and individual states. Also, see the top 10 cancers for men and women.
- Cancers by Age, Sex, Race, and Ethnicity: See rates or numbers of melanomas of the skin or melanoma of the skin deaths by race/ethnicity, sex, and age group.
- Trends: See how the rates of melanomas of the skin or melanoma of the skin deaths changed over time for the entire United States and individual states.