Skin cancer rates have doubled over the past 30 years, and public health officials warn they will continue to rise if nothing is done.
The rate of melanoma, the most common form of cancer in the U.S., rose from 11.2 people per 100,000 in 1982 to 22.7 people per 100,000 in 2011, according to new figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Tuesday.
The agency noted that melanoma is responsible for more than 9,000 deaths a year. In 2011, more than 65,000 cases were diagnosed.
If more isn’t done to prevent skin cancer, the diagnosis rate will continue to rise over the next 15 years, with 112,000 new cases projected in 2030, CDC said.
Effective prevention programs use a combination of education and media campaigns to highlight prevention.
“Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat and clothes that cover your skin,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden. “Find some shade if you’re outside, especially in the middle of the day when the dangerous rays from the sun are most intense, and apply broad-spectrum sunscreen.”
