Study IDs states with highest rates of melanoma due to UV radiation
Several landlocked states among those with highest rates
A new study finds a wide state-by-state variation in rates of melanoma caused by ultraviolet (UV) exposure with highest rates in several states on the East and West Coast including Hawaii, but also a few landlocked states, including Utah, Vermont, and Minnesota. The report, appearing in the International Journal of Cancer, finds state-level incidence rates for UV-attributable melanoma ranged from 15 cases per 100,000 in Alaska to 65 cases per 100,000 in Hawaii. The authors say variations between states likely reflect a combination of the strength the sun’s rays, participation in outdoor activities, sun protection, indoor tanning, and early detection.
For the new study, investigators led by Farhad Islami, M.D., Ph.D. estimated the number, proportion, and incidence rates of malignant melanomas attributable to UV radiation in each of the United States. They did so by calculating the difference between observed melanomas during 2011-2015 and a baseline of expected cases.