Preventing Melanoma

Melanoma is increasing.

Melanoma skin cancer is common and costly.

• People of any skin color can get skin cancer and people with lighter skin are at higher risk.
• More than 65,000 melanoma skin cancers were diagnosed in the US in 2011.
• Melanoma can be disfiguring and even deadly; deaths increase with age and are higher for men than women.
• The annual cost for treating melanoma has grown faster than the annual treatment costs for all cancers combined.
• The annual cost of treating new melanoma patients is projected to triple from 2011 through 2030 (from $457 million to $1.6 billion).
• Using proven community skin cancer prevention programs could prevent an estimated 21,000 melanomas and save $250 million per year by 2030.

UV exposure causes more than 90% of melanomas in the US.

• Tans and sunburns are the body’s response to damage from UV exposure. A tan is a sign of damaged skin.
• More than 1 in 3 Americans report getting sunburned every year.
• Indoor tanning exposes people to more intense UV rays than the sun. About 6,200 melanomas are estimated to be caused each year by indoor tanning.
• Nearly 1 of 3 young non-Hispanic white women ages 16–25 uses indoor tanning each year.

Source: CDC Vital Signs, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 2015.

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Federal government is

• Requiring most health plans to cover recommended skin cancer prevention counseling at no out-of-pocket cost (such as co-pays or deductibles) through the Affordable Care Act.
• Requiring indoor tanning equipment to:
  • Meet special requirements for how these devices are designed and made.
  • Carry visible warning: people under age 18 should not use the device.
  • Include warning statements in marketing materials about the risk of using the device.

Communities and policymakers can

• Increase shade at playgrounds, public pools, and other public spaces.
• Promote sun protection in recreation areas, including the use or purchase of hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
• Encourage employers, childcare centers, schools, and colleges to educate employees and students about sun safety and skin protection.
• Restrict the availability and use of indoor tanning by minors.

Employers, childcare centers,schools, and colleges can

• Provide sun protection such as shade structures, sunscreen, and protective clothing for students and employees.
• Change policies that restrict sun protection, including school bans on wearing hats outdoors.
• Protect workers and students by scheduling activities before or after midday hours.
• Relocate activities and provide structures to increase shade when possible.
• Discourage indoor tanning and restrict its use on campuses.

Everyone can

• Understand that tanned skin is damaged skin.
• Protect themselves and their families by:
  • Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and protective clothing outdoors.
  • Finding shade, especially during midday hours.
  • Using broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, even on cloudy days. Sunscreen is most effective when used with other sun protection and reapplied as directed.
• Avoid sunbathing and indoor tanning.

The Guide to Community Preventive Services recommends community-wide programs that combine education, mass media campaigns, and policy changes to increase skin protection.

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• MMWR
• Science Clips

• Vital Signs Issue details: Melanoma Incidence and Mortality Trends and Projections — United States, 1982–2030, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Vital Signs – Preventing Melanoma [PODCAST – 1:15 minutes]
• Vital Signs – Preventing Melanoma [PSA – 0:60 seconds]
• Preventing Skin Cancer: Findings of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services on Reducing Exposure to Ultraviolet Light
• The Guidelines for School Programs to Prevent Skin Cancer
• A Tan Is Not a Sign of Health: Sharon McKenna, Melanoma Survivor, Shares Her Story

On Other Web Sites

• MedlinePlus – Melanoma