4% of All Cancer Cases

Melanoma is the least common but the most deadly skin cancer, accounting for only about 4% of all cases but 79% of skin cancer deaths.[1]

In 2010, it is estimated that  there will be 68,130 new cases of melanoma in the United States and 8,700 deaths from the disease.[2]

25% of Melanoma Cases

People under age 45 account for 25% of all melanoma cases.

200% Increase Since 1973 

The incidence rate of melanoma has doubled since 1973. The United States has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of melanoma cases over the past few decades. The incidence of melanoma has increased 15 times in the last 40 years. This is a more rapid increase than for any other cancer![3]  In the United Kingdom, a similar increase in the incidence has been seen.[4] 

It should be noted however, that although the increase in the rate of melanoma has doubled since 1973 it has been STABLE since 2000.

5 Year Survival Rate Has Increased 

During this same time period, there has been a significant rise in overall 5-year survival in patients with melanoma. This may be due to earlier diagnosis, when tumors are still at a thinner depth, as well as improved surgical techniques to remove them.[5]

The mortality rate for melanoma (number of deaths per 100,000 people each year) has increased at a most slower pace and has remained stable over the past 10 years.

Common Cancer

In young American women between the ages of 20 and 35, and in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old, melanoma is the second most common cancer.

Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 25-30 and is second only to breast cancer in women aged 30 to 34.

In the US melanoma  is currently the sixth most common cancer in men and the seventh most common in women of all age groups.

America's Highest Risk Population 

Caucasian Americans are 10 times more likely to develop melanoma than African Americans. Worldwide, white populations have the highest risk of developing melanoma, and Asian populations have the lowest risk.[6]

World's Highest Risk Countries 

The world's highest incidence of melanoma is in Australia and New Zealand (more than twice as high as in North America). This may be due to how close these countries are  to the equator, their greatly reduced ozone layer, and their population of mostly fair-skinned people.

Because of Australia's extensive skin cancer screening program, there has been a decrease in average tumor depth at the time of diagnosis.

References:
1 SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) data.  seer.cancer.gov

2 American Cancer Society, 2010.  cancer.org

3 Weinstock MA. Epidemiology, etiology, and control of melanoma.
   Med Health R I. 2001;84(7):234-236

4 cancerresearchuk.org

5 Lancet. 2002;94:1537-1545

6 Lotze MT, Dallal RM, Kirkwood JM, Flickinger JC. Cutaneous melanoma.
   In DeVita VT, Rosenberg SA, Hellman S, eds. Principles and Practice of Oncology, 6th ed.
    Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott; 2001