Melanoma diagnoses are increasing at epidemic rates. You can help make a difference by knowing and sharing the facts about melanoma. Melanoma Fact Sheet
KNOW THE FACTS:
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US.
Today, there are over 1.4 million people living with melanoma in the US.
Approximately 8,510 Americans are expected to die from melanoma in 2026.
Melanoma does not discriminate by age, race or gender. Everyone is at risk.
• Between 300–400 children and young adults in the US are diagnosed with melanoma each year. • The incidence of young people under 30 developing melanoma is increasing faster than any other group, soaring specifically in women by 50% since 1980. • Melanoma is one of the four most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer for adults aged 30–39.
• Incidence rates for individuals younger than 50 have stabilized in women and declined by about 1% per year in men since the early 2000s. • For adults ages 50 and older, incidence rates continue to increase by 1.4% per year in men and 2.8% per year in women.
• The lifetime risk of getting melanoma ranges from about 3% (1 in 33) for White individuals, 0.1% (1 in 1,000) for Black individuals, and 0.5% (1 in 200) for Hispanic individuals.
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In 2026 over 234,680 people living in the US are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma. Of these, 112,000 will be diagnosed with invasive (Stage I, II, III or IV) melanoma and 122,680 will be diagnosed with melanoma in situ.
• Melanoma is not just a skin cancer. It can develop anywhere on the body — eyes, nails, feet, mouth, etc. • Nearly 93% of melanomas are thought to be caused by exposure to UV light and sunlight. • It takes only one blistering sunburn, especially at a young age, to more than double a person’s chance of developing melanoma later in life. • The 5-year survival rate for melanoma overall is 95%, ranging from >99% for cases diagnosed at a localized stage to 35% for distant-stage disease, up from 15% in the mid-2000s due to treatment breakthroughs.
Exposure to tanning beds before age 35 increases a person’s risk of developing melanoma by 75%. • Indoor tanning beds are proven to cause cancer and have been classified into the highest cancer risk category by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC). • Young people who regularly use tanning beds are 8 times more likely to develop melanoma than people who have never used them.
These tips can help protect your skin from too much UV exposure:
Seek shade when possible.
Cover up with clothing, sunglasses and a wide- brimmed hat.
Try to avoid being in the sun between 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 and reapply every two hours.
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