The American Cancer Society\u2019s key document measuring cancer rates in the United States \u2014 \u201cCancer Facts and Figures\u201d \u2014 says that melanoma rates have not increased since 2000 and that rates are declining for women under age 50 \u2014 directly contradicting what ACS lobbyists have testified to state legislative panels this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the 1970\u2019s, the incidence rate of melanoma increased rapidly by about 6 percent per year. However, from 1981-2000, the rate of increase slowed to 3 percent per year and since 2000 melanoma incidence has been stable,\u201d the ACS \u201cCancer Facts and Figures 2008\u201d reports. \u201cThe death rate for melanoma has been decreasing rapidly in whites younger than 50, by 3 percent per year since 1991 in men and by 2.3 percent per year since 1985 in women.\u201d<\/p>\n
ACS lobbyists \u2014 calling for legislation to further restrict teenage usage of indoor tanning \u2014 have falsely testified that melanoma rates are increasing in young women.<\/p>\n
\u201cDermatology\u2019s contention that melanoma is increasing in young women is totally anecdotal \u2014 it amounts to nothing more than cosmetic doctors saying that they see more young women,\u201d Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said. \u201cBut they see more young women because that\u2019s who they market all their cosmetic services to. It\u2019s well-documented that dermatology has always had an extremely high percentage of young female clients compared to every other medical discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n
The National Cancer Institute\u2019s charts show that melanoma is increasing rapidly in men over age 50, but is on the decline in women under 50. \u201cYet no public health campaigns are directed at men,\u201d Levy said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The American Cancer Society\u2019s key document measuring cancer rates in the United States \u2014 \u201cCancer Facts and Figures\u201d \u2014 says that melanoma rates have not increased since 2000 and that rates are declining for women under age 50 \u2014 directly contradicting what ACS lobbyists have testified to state legislative panels this year. \u201cDuring the 1970\u2019s, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n