Posts Tagged statistics
Melanoma Rates on the Rise in U.S.
THURSDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) — New cases of the deadly skin cancer melanoma are increasing among men and women in the United States, particularly among older men, researchers report.
Whether the increase in melanoma signals an epidemic is a matter of debate. However, the rate is increasing among all Americans and cannot be due to better screening alone, the researchers contend.
full story – Here
1 comment January 9, 2009
Melanoma cases likely to decline
Article found on stuff.co.nz:
*New Zealand could lose its unenviable reputation as the skin-cancer centre of the world thanks to climate change.*
Extreme levels of ultra-violet (UV) radiation caused by clear skies and bright sunshine kill between 250 and 300 Kiwis a year, giving New Zealand the highest death rate from melanoma in the world.
However, there may be cause for celebration, with some scientists believing that by the second half of this century the rate will be falling.
Scientists think that climate change will speed up a recovery of the ozone layer over much of the world and block out more of the damaging UV rays.
The maximum value of the UV index which at this time of year can reach “extreme” levels of 12 over the South Island and 13 further north would drop by two or more steps under such a scenario.
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research scientist Greg Bodeker said the peak in the skin-cancer rate was expected about 2040.
Beyond that, increased ozone concentrations were likely to take New Zealand and the rate back to where it was in the 1950s or 60s.
“It’s a good story, absolutely. We are already seeing ozone recovery over New Zealand,” Bodeker said.
“Skin-cancer rates of today are caused by UV exposure 20 or 30 years ago.
“All the indications are that climate change will accele-rate the recovery of the ozone levels.”
Some people were concerned that if UV radiation levels fell lower than so far experienced that might lead to vitamin D deficiencies, but that seemed unlikely, he said.
Add comment December 3, 2008
New cancer cases decline; melanoma on rise
Lauran Neergaard ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The rate of new cancer cases finally may be inching down – cautiously optimistic news but a gain that specialists worry could be derailed by economic turmoil.
Death rates from cancer have been dropping slowly for years, thanks to earlier detection and better treatments. But preventing cancer is the ultimate goal, and Tuesday’s annual “Report to the Nation” on cancer also shows a small but encouraging change: The rate of new diagnoses among men dropped 1.8 percent a year between 2001 and 2005.
For women, the dip was just over half a percent a year.
Also, the cancer death rate among men and women continued to drop, by an average of 1.8 percent a year through 2005, said the report published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The improvements are due to gains against some leading cancers – prostate, colorectal, breast and, for men, lung cancer. But numerous other types still are on the rise, including melanoma and kidney cancer.
Full story at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/26/new-cancer-cases-decline-melanoma-on-rise/
1 comment December 1, 2008
