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Incidence of Melanoma of the Skin by Year and Sex, 1990 to 2021

Indicator Report Data View Options

Why Is This Important?

Cancer of the skin is by far the most common of all cancers. Melanoma accounts for less than 5% of skin cancer cases but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths. Most melanoma of the skin is caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Whites have age-adjusted incidence rates that are more than 15 times higher than Blacks. People with light complexions have the highest risk of melanoma of the skin.

Definition

Incidence rate of invasive melanoma of the skin for a defined population in a specified time interval. Rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Standard Population. Rates are per 100,000 population.

Data Notes

  • Data have been age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population.
  • Incidence rates (cases per 100,000 population per year) are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population (19 age groups: <1, 1-4, 5-9, ..., 80-84, 85+). Rates are for invasive cancer only (except for bladder cancer which is invasive and in situ) or unless otherwise specified. 2020 data are considered preliminary and should not be used in trend analyses; an approximate 10% decrease in the number of cancer cases diagnosed in 2020 and compared to 2019 is partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients experienced difficulties scheduling medical appointments and cancer screening tests in 2020. Incidence data for 2021 are considered preliminary due to possible reporting delays.

Data Sources

How the Measure is Calculated

  • Numerator:

    Number of new cases of melanoma of the skin among a defined population in a specified time interval.
  • Denominator:

    Defined population in a specified time interval.

Related Health Objectives and Indicators


Environmental Public Health Tracking Indicator CA-72

Description: Incidence of melanoma
https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/indicatorPages?selectedContentAreaAbbreviation=9&selectedIndicatorId=72


Health Care System Factors

See [https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/skin-cancer-screening] for skin cancer screening recommendations

Risk Factors

See [https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/patient/skin-prevention-pdq] for skin cancer prevention information.

Related Risk Factors Indicators:

Related Health Status Outcomes Indicators:

Health Topic Pages Related to: Incidence of Melanoma of the Skin

Indicator Data Last Updated On 11/01/2024, Published on 11/06/2024
Cancer Epidemiology Services, New Jersey Department of Health, PO Box 369, Trenton, NJ 08625-0369, e-mail: cancer@doh.nj.gov (https://www.nj.gov/health/ces)