Skin Cancer Cases Rising Among Young Adult Women
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic published a study Monday that said that melanoma rates among young women are eight times higher than they were 40 years ago.
Melanoma rates among women ages 18 to 39 showed a greater increase than those among men in the same age group. These incidences were tracked by researchers in Olmsted County, Minnesota health records from 1970 to 2009.
The study displayed a rate of 16.9 cases per 100,000 people. The rate of cases among young adult women showed a rate of 23.2 and 10.8 for men.
Mayo Clinic researchers did not look at what caused the melanoma cases, but researchers found a strong association between tanning-device use and melanoma. People who use any type of tanning device are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma.
Although overall cancer rates are declining across the nation, the number of melanoma cases is rising particularly among young adults. State health officials say that doctors diagnose melanoma 166 times each year for people ages 20 to 39.
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic hope the study will lead more primary care doctors to educate their young patients about melanoma.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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