Epidemiology of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the epidemiology of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers.

DATA SOURCES: Review and research articles, book chapters, and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data.

CONCLUSIONS

In 2002, an estimated 1.3 million Americans were diagnosed with skin cancer. Of these, 53,000 individuals were diagnosed with melanoma, the most common fatal form of skin cancer, and more than 7,000 Americans died of melanoma. Nonmelanoma skin cancer has the highest incidence of all cancers and the rise in the rate of cutaneous melanoma exceeds all other preventable cancers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses can act as case-finders and as advocates and educators for prevention of overexposure to ultraviolet radiation. Nurses should ascertain possible inherited risk and monitor patients for additional primary skin cancers.