Facts About Melanoma

10 Facts About Melanoma .... 
1.Melanoma is now the fastest growing cancer in the U.S. 
2.There have been no significant advances in the medical treatment or survival in the last 30 years. 
3.Melanoma cases are increasing at an epidemic rate of 3% a year. 
4.In the U.S. there are as many new cases of melanoma each year than there are of aids. 
5.There were 59, 000 new cases of melanoma in the U.S. in 2005. 
6.Melanoma is the sixth most common cancer in the U. S. 
7.Melanoma is the most common cancer in men & women ages 20-29. 
8.In women 25-29. melanoma is the primary cause of cancer death, and in women 30-34 it is the second most common cause of cancer death. 
9.In the U.S. your chance of getting melanoma in 1940 was 1 in 1500. By 2004, it was 1 in 67..scientists predict in 2010 it will be 1 in 50. 
10.If caught in the early stages, melanoma is entirely treatable with a survival rate of nearly 100%. If untreated and allowed to spread, there is no known treatment or cure.


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Melanoma Facts: Every hour of every day, someone dies of melanoma in the United States. An estimated 116,500 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the USA this year. Most common form of cancer for young adults (25-29 years old). Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer because people can die from melanoma.  Today, 1 in 5 people will develop skin cancer. Melanoma strikes people of all ages (including children), all races, all economic levels, and both sexes. The majority of melanoma is caused by exposure to UV light and sunlight. Skin Cancer in women has tripled in the past 30 years. The use of sunscreen (SPF or higher) during the first 18 years of life would cut lifetime risk of melanoma by 78%! To Learn more about melanoma, visit: Wikipedia's Melanoma Entry   Further Resources skincancertakesfriends.org skincancer.org aad.org  Survival: Survival when superficial melanoma is found and diagnosed early: Stage 0 (Diagnosis in situ Melanoma)         5 year survival: 100%         10 year survival: 100% Stage IIIA (Multiple lymph nodes + non-ulcerated primary)         5 year survival: 63-69%         10 year survival: 57-63% Stage IIIC (Multiple lymph nodes + ulcerated primary)         5 year survival: 24-29%         10 year survival: 15-24% Stage IV (Major organs)         5 year survival: 7-9%         10 year survival: 3-6% No significant advances in medical therapies (or survival) for patients with advanced melanoma have occurred in the past 30 years.  [NOT cool!!!] Melanoma currently ranks #8 on the NCI Research funding for cancer list.