Skin cancer 50% worse for young white women in U.S.

William Atkins
Saturday, 12 July 2008 02:06

Science - Health

The researchers stated within their paper, “The recent increase in incidence among young women parallels reported trends in exposure to UVR [ultraviolet radiation], the primary environmental cause of melanoma …. The prevalence of sunburn is increasing among US adult men and women overall, although trends by age group have not been reported …. Among adolescents aged 16–18 years, both the prevalence of sunburn and the average number of days spent at the beach increased between sun surveys conducted in 1998 and 2004…. Tanning bed usage, which has been recently evaluated as a probable cause of melanoma …, is increasing among US adults and is most prevalent among young women ….”

The researchers suggest that further studies should be conducted to understand the specific reasons why the percentage of young white women are getting melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer in the United States.

Specifically, they stated, “… our analysis of SEER data suggests that melanoma incidence is increasing among young women. Additional studies are needed to clarify whether the increasing trends for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer are the result of changes in UVR exposure in this population.”

According to Bloomberg.com article “Skin Cancer Rates Rise in Young Women, Along Tanning Trends,” Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer, diagnosed in 67,000 people in the U.S. each year and killing more than 11,000, according to the American Cancer Society. Despite public health efforts to reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the main environmental cause of the disease, millions of Americans still seek light rays either at the beach, backyard or tanning beds, which are used more often by women than men.”

Dr. Purdue also commented on past U.S. public education campaigns on skin cancer. He said in the same Bloomberg article, “The findings suggest that the public education campaigns that have been conducted in the U.S. since the 1980s about the risks of melanoma from sun tanning may not have resulted in a reduction in melanoma rates among young women. We do seem to see some promising leveling off in the rates for young men.''