Skin cancer statistics 2024

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the world with 2 to 3 million non-melanoma skin cancer cases worldwide each year

By Rebecca Rovenstine | Updated on Jan. 24, 2024 Medically reviewed by Josephine Bawab, Pharm.D.

Chances are you’ve heard this sage wisdom time after time: don’t forget to put on sunscreen. The damaging sun rays can cause freckles, age spots, and wrinkles. However, these rays can lead to more serious problems, like painful blistering sunburns or, even worse, skin cancer.

What is skin cancer?

“Skin cancer occurs when skin cells grow abnormally. It includes cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma,” explains Christina Weng, MD, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Boston and founder of Mymiel Skincare. “There are multiple factors that can contribute to the development of skin cancer, including ultraviolet radiation, genetics, other environmental exposures, and even certain types of burn wounds.“

Each type of skin cancer has different symptoms, but most start with an unusual lump or growth on the skin. This may be a mole that begins changing color and size or a thick, rough patch of skin that looks similar to a wart or open sore.

How common is skin cancer?

“Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. and worldwide; in fact, the number of skin cancers exceeds the number of all other cancers combined,” said Angela Casey, MD, a dermatologist in Ohio and founder of Bright Girl skincare.

Here are some other statistics that show just how common skin cancer is in the United States and around the world:

Skin cancer statistics worldwide

Around the globe, there are around 2 to 3 million non-melanoma skin cancer cases that occur every year. (World Health Organization, 2017)
Australia has the highest incidences of malignant melanoma cases each year. This is 10 to 20 times more than that of European populations. (World Health Organization, 2017)
Worldwide, melanoma of the skin is the 17th most common cancer. Divided by gender, it is the 13th most common cancer in men and the 15th most common in women. (World Cancer Research Fund, 2022)
New Zealand, followed by Norway, had the highest rate of melanoma cancer-related deaths in 2020. (World Cancer Research Fund, 2022)

Skin cancer statistics in the U.S.

One in five people from the United States had acquired some form of skin cancer by the age of 70 years in 2007. (Archives of Dermatology, 2010)
Skin cancer rates are higher in women than men before 50 years of age. After 50 years, men have higher rates of skin cancer. (American Cancer Society, 2022)
The incidence of skin cancer among non-Hispanic White individuals is almost 30 times higher than the incidence among non-Hispanic Black or Asian/Pacific Islander individuals. (American Cancer Society, 2022)

Skin cancer statistics by type of cancer

The incidence of basal cell carcinoma increased by 145% from 1976-1984 to 2000-2010. During that time frame, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma increased by 263%. (Mayo Clinical Proceedings, 2017)
The most common skin cancer in Black people is squamous cell carcinoma. (Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association, 2009)
Diagnosis and treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer increased by 77% between 1994 and 2014 in the United States. (Current Dermatology Reports, 2014)

Melanoma statistics

As of 2019, more than 1.3 million Americans were living with melanoma. (National Cancer Institute, 2019)
It’s estimated that in 2022, around 100,000 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States. (CA: A cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2022)
In 2022, melanoma is projected to be the 5th most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women. (CA: A cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2022)
Despite the growing rates of melanoma, incidences of this cancer in children and adults under the age of 30 years have decreased. However, rates of melanoma increased in older populations, especially those ages 80 years and older. (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2020)

Skin cancer statistics by cause

Excessive exposure to UV radiation from the sun, the use of tanning beds, and a history of the disease all increase the risk of developing skin cancer. (American Cancer Society, 2022)
Sunburns during childhood and adolescence increase the odds of developing melanoma later in life. Those who have five or more blistering sunburns between 15 and 20 years of age will increase their risk of melanoma by 80% and non-melanoma skin cancer by 68%. (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2014)
The use of tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma along with the risk of early-onset melanoma. (Preventive Medicine Reports, 2016)
Women younger than30 years of age that use indoor tanning beds are six times more likely to develop melanoma. (JAMA Dermatology, 2016)

Skin cancer survival rate

The survival rate for common forms of non-melanoma skin cancer is higher than 95% when detected and treated early. (Moffit Cancer Center, 2022)
If melanoma is detected and treated before it has spread to the lymph nodes, there is a 99% survival rate. The five-year survival rate is 68% for individuals whose melanoma spread to nearby lymph nodes. Once it spreads to distant lymph nodes and other organs, the five-year survival rate is 30%. (American Academy of Dermatology Association, 2022)
For Black patients with melanoma, the five-year survival rate across all stages of melanoma is only 71%, compared to a 93% five-year survival rate for White patients. (CA: A cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2022)

Skin cancer death rate

A large majority of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma, with around 20 Americans dying from melanoma each day. (CA: A cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2022)
Research shows that men have a lower survival rate from melanoma compared to women. In 2022, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be over 7,500 deaths from melanoma, with 5,000 of those being men and around 2,500 women. (American Cancer Society, 2022)
Death rates due to melanoma have decreased by 4% between 2014 and 2018. (CA: A cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2022)

Common skin cancer complications

Recurrence is a common complication of skin cancer. Sixty percent of people who have had skin cancer once will be diagnosed with the second case of skin cancer within ten years. The odds of recurrence increase even more after being diagnosed a second time with basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma. (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2022)
There have been some suggested comorbidities of skin cancer, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s disease, atopic dermatitis, and vitiligo, but the link is still unclear. (Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021)
Scarring from the removal of skin cancers, such as basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, is a common side effect of treatment.

The cost of skin cancer

From 2007 to 2011, 4.9 million adults were treated for skin cancer in the United States each year. The average yearly treatment cost during these years was around $8.1 billion. (American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2015)
Broken up by type of cancer, the cost of non-melanoma skin cancer treatment is estimated to cost $4.8 billion yearly, while melanoma skin cancer treatment is estimated to cost $3.3 billion. (American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2015)
Medical care for skin cancer as a result of indoor tanning is believed to cost over $343 million each year in the United States. (Journal of Cancer Policy, 2017)

Causes of skin cancer

“Over the course of our lifetime, our skin cells undergo numerous instances of damage; in most cases, our skin cells have the ability to repair themselves,” said Dr. Casey. “When the amount of damage accumulates to an amount that is beyond what our skin cells can repair, the skin cell can mutate into a cancerous cell. As that cancerous cell starts to replicate, it forms a skin cancer.”

A high majority of skin cancer cases are caused by exposure to UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds. However, these are not the only causes. Dr. Casey explained, “Individuals who are immunosuppressed from medications, certain medical conditions, or specific genetic factors have a higher risk of skin cancer.”

Skin cancer prevention

“The most important [thing] is sun protection! Blistering sunburns, in particular, can increase your risk of developing skin cancer,” advised Dr. Weng. “I always recommend SPF 50 or higher, with re-application every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating.”

Sunscreen is important any time when going outside while the sun is out, even if it is winter or cloudy, as any exposure to the UV rays can still cause damage. Avoiding the sun altogether while outside (in addition to sunscreen) can be helpful, like sitting in a shady spot or wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Outside of sun protection, there are other things that can be done to prevent skin cancer. “Maintain a healthy lifestyle: whole-food, minimally-processed diet; adequate sleep, stress management, exercise. Consider vitamin D supplementation if recommended by your healthcare provider,” recommended Dr. Casey. “All of these healthy lifestyle habits help strengthen your immune system, and we know that our immune systems play a large role in the surveillance and helping repair cell damage.”

Yearly skin cancer checks with your dermatologist won’t prevent developing skin cancer altogether, but, it will be important for the early detection and prevention of spreading that cancer further into the body. If you have a family history of skin cancer, this is even more important.

RELATED: Does sunscreen expire?

Treating skin cancer

“Treatment depends on the type of skin cancer. For basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas that are detected early, they can be excised with no effect on long-term health,“ explained Dr. Weng. If these types of cancers are detected later, it’s possible that they could spread to other parts of the body and require more intensive treatments.

Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery, or simply Mohs surgery, is done in a dermatology office under the guidance of a dermatologist who specializes in this area. Essentially, layers of skin are removed and examined in a lab to determine if skin cancer is present. The surgeon will then remove all of the cancerous skin.

Topical therapy, radiation, and chemotherapy are also common treatments. One new treatment for skin cancer is electron beam therapy. Dr. Casey explained, “This is a newer technology used for some basal and squamous cell skin cancers. A thin, non-penetrating electron beam destroys cancer cells without damaging the surrounding healthy cells.”

Skin cancer questions and answers

What percentage of the population has skin cancer?

One in five Americans will develop some type of skin cancer by the age of 70 years. The lifetime risk of melanoma of the skin is 2.6% for White people, 0.1% for Black people, and 0.6% for Hispanic people. (American Cancer Society, 2022)

What’s the most common type of skin cancer?

The two most common skin cancers are basal and squamous cell carcinomas. The third most common is melanoma. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022)

How common is death from skin cancer?

In the United States, it’s estimated that 7,650 people will die from melanoma in 2022. Death from basal and squamous cell carcinomas is less common, and while that number is dropping, around 2,000 people in the United States will die from these types of skin cancer each year. (American Cancer Society, 2022)

What is the most common risk factor for skin cancer?

Excess sun exposure with frequent sunburns, especially blistering sunburns, increases the risk of skin cancer.

How common is melanoma by age group?

Melanoma is more common in older individuals. From 2001 to 2015, almost one million cases of invasive melanoma were reported to the National Program of Cancer Registries, with 4.1% of these cases being in individuals younger than 30 years of age. (JAMA Dermatology, 2015)