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
- SEER*Stat, National Center Institute
(https://www.seer.cancer.gov/seerstat) - Bridged-race population estimates, National Cancer Institute
(https://seer.cancer.gov/popdata/)
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 melanomahttps://ephtracking.cdc.gov/indicatorPages?selectedContentAreaAbbreviation=9&selectedIndicatorId=72