Arizona has one of the nation's highest melanoma rates
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Sunny Arizona has one of the highest melanoma rates in the country, and cases are on the rise nationally.
Why it matters: Although melanoma accounts for only about 1% of skin cancers, it's responsible for the large majority of skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
By the numbers: Arizona averaged 28.9 melanoma cases per 100,000 from 2016-2020, well above the national average of 22.5, per the National Cancer Institute.
- Only six states had higher rates than Arizona.
- The data doesn't include Indiana or Nevada.
Zoom out: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S.
- New cases of melanoma rose 2% to 3% annually between 2015 and 2019, Axios' Tina Reed reports.
What they're saying: "People who get periodically sunburnt frequently tend to have a higher risk of developing melanoma," says Henry Lim, dermatologist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit and former president of American Academy of Dermatology.
- And sun exposure has a clear connection to basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers.
The big picture: In particular, there's been an increase in the number of people diagnosed with skin cancer over age 50, says Shanthi Sivendran, ACS senior vice president of cancer care support.
- ACS estimates that about 100,640 new cases of melanoma skin cancer will be diagnosed in 2024.
Between the lines: "More sun exposure" isn't the only possible reason for the uptick in melanoma diagnoses.
- Other factors: more effective skin cancer detection and the fact that many Americans are living longer, according to Sivendran.
Reality check: The way melanoma is reported, or in some cases underreported, can affect the rates.
- Robin Harris, co-director of the University of Arizona's Skin Cancer Institute, told Axios last year that a melanoma task force she helped start in 2013 found that cases were being underreported here by 72%.
- She said underreporting occurs because most melanoma cases are treated at dermatologists' offices, instead of hospitals or cancer facilities where doctors are more familiar with state reporting requirements.
Go deeper: Skin cancer alert: Melanoma cases are on the rise