Skin cancer is more common than any other type of cancer in the world; approximately 9,500 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. Fortunately, the majority of skin cancers are curable when they are detected early, underscoring the vital importance of regular skin examinations by a board-certified dermatologist.
Melanoma Survival Rates
Skin cancer survival rates vary greatly depending on how quickly the cancer is detected. When detected early, the 5-year survival rate of melanoma is estimated at 99 percent. Sadly, this 5-year survival rate falls to 66 percent if melanoma has already reached the lymph nodes, and it drops down to 27 percent if melanoma has spread to distant organs. Undeniably, early detection is essential to saving the lives of people diagnosed with melanoma.
Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers Can Be Deadly, Too
Nonmelanoma skin cancers must also be taken seriously as they cause over 5,400 deaths around the world every month. The two most common types of skin cancers, basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), can be disfiguring and even deadly when not detected and treated early. In fact, recent statistics suggest that twice as many people in the U.S. die each year from SCCs than from melanoma.
This alarming fact is likely due to a combination of factors, including cancer rates (SCCs are far more common than melanoma) and lack of early detection, as people do not always know what to look for or when to