The incidence and prevalence of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) have increased since 1990 in the United States, while mortality rates have remained stable, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Pushkar Aggarwal, from the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, and colleagues examined the burden of skin cancer in the United States from 1990 to 2019. Age-standardized incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), and mortality rates were examined from the Global Burden of Disease 2019.

The researchers found that in 2019, the incidence, prevalence, DALY, and mortality rates for melanoma were 17.0, 138.0, 64.8, and 2.2 per 100,000 persons, respectively; the rates were 262.0, 314.0, 26.6, and 0.8 for squamous cell carcinoma and 525.2, 51.2, 0.2, and 0 for basal cell carcinoma. Since 1990, the incidence and prevalence rates of melanoma and NMSC have increased, while mortality rates have remained stable. Every year since 1999, the incidence, prevalence, DALY, and mortality rates from melanoma and NMSC were higher for men. Compared with the southern half, the northern half of the United States had a relatively higher incidence and prevalence of melanoma.

"The incidence and prevalence of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma have increased in the United States from 1990 to 2019," the authors write. "The burden of skin cancer, as measured by DALY over the 30 years, has decreased for melanoma and remained fairly stable for squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma."

One author disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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