Preventing Chronic Disease (Mar 2005)
Using Evidence-based Community and Behavioral Interventions to Prevent Skin Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges for Public Health Practice
Abstract
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and is increasing in incidence (1). In 2004, more than 1 million people were expected to be diagnosed with squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma, and more than 2200 deaths were expected (2). Another 54,200 people were estimated to be diagnosed with melanoma, the most lethal of all skin cancers, and 7600 persons were expected to die from that disease during 2004. High levels of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) increase the risk of all three major forms of skin cancer, and approximately 65% to 90% of melanomas are caused by UVR exposure. Other risk factors for skin cancer include having fair skin, hair, and eyes; growing up closer to the equator; and having a large number of moles or nevi (3).
