Skin Cancer

Ω

I used to be a sun worshiper - 1:00 p.m. (Daylight Savings Time) on June 21st was a holy moment each year - the time when the sun was closest to the earth. I got lots of tans, but rarely burned. It all added up, however. In recent years, I have had two skin cancers removed in operations, and many pre-cancerous growths burned off. I now am checked by a dermatologist every 6 months - I highly recommend it for all my readers.

Here are some statistics for skin cancers in Connecticut.

A 2004 survey found that 43.1% of white adults in Connecticut had at least one sunburn in the past year—an increase from 33.3% in 1999. Sunburns are a significant risk factor for the development of skin cancer.

■■ New Cases of Melanoma. The rate of new melanoma diagnoses—responsible for
75% of all skin cancer deaths—was 31% higher in Connecticut than the national
average from 2001-2005 and was the 8th highest in the U.S.9,10 An estimated 1,060
state residents were diagnosed with melanoma in 2008.

■■ New London County has the highest rate of melanoma diagnoses in the state,
79% above the national average.

■■ Deaths from Melanoma. Approximately 110 people in Connecticut die of melanoma
every year.11 Connecticut had the 17th highest melanoma death rate nationally from
2001-2005—7.4% higher than the U.S. average.

■■ Tolland County has the highest melanoma death rate in the state, 30% higher
than the national average.