In 2000, at current rates, one in 79 Americans has a lifetime risk of developing melanoma, a 1,900 percent increase from 1930. The prognosis for skin cancer is better than for most other types of cancer. Less than 1 percent of all cancer deaths are from skin cancer, and it is cured in 85 to 95 percent of all cases.

The three most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. About 80 percent of new skin cancer cases are basal cell carcinoma. Approximately 16 percent of skin cancers are squamous cell carcinoma. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are known as non-melanoma skin cancers. There will be about 1,900 deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer during 2000. For specific details, see the summary on non-melanoma skin cancers.

A third type of skin cancer, melanoma, is much less common but often much more virulent than non-melanoma skin cancers. Melanoma accounts for 4 percent of skin cancer cases. There will be about 47,700 new cases of malignant melanoma in 2000, and 7,700 deaths will be attributed to malignant melanoma--4,800 men and 2,900 women. Details on this disease can be found in the summary on melanoma.

Skin cancer can almost always be cured if it is caught before it spreads. That's why it is so important for people to check themselves regularly for new growths or other changes in the skin. Any new, colored growths or any changes in existing growths should be reported to the doctor right away.