Melanoma Facts & Stats

Source: WebMd, May 2019

May 6, 2019 — As melanoma cases continue to rise sharply, Americans are being urged to get screened early for this deadliest of skin cancers. But some dermatologists question whether screening people without symptoms has resulted in overdiagnosing melanoma, bringing unnecessary anxiety and treatments.

They note that while the number of invasive melanoma cases diagnosed in the U.S. doubled from 1982 to 2011 and continue to rise, death rates have only dropped slightly. From 2007 to 2016, deaths from melanoma decreased by 2% in adults 50 and older and by 4% in people younger than 50.