This May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and support for those affected by skin cancer, represented by the black ribbon. This year, the news is hopeful. New research is changing what we know about survival, early detection, and treatment. Here’s what you should know.
Facts About Cancer
Incidence
Approximately 5.4 million individuals are diagnosed with basal and squamous cell skin cancers annually in the U.S., with about 100,000 new cases of melanoma expected to be diagnosed in 20251,2.
Melanoma can emerge in individuals of all age groups and ethnicities, and men are more likely to be diagnosed with and die from melanoma than women. The average age of diagnosis with melanoma is 66, but it is also common in young people.
White people have a higher lifetime risk of being diagnosed with melanoma (3 percent) compared to Hispanic individuals (0.5 percent) and African Americans (0.1 percent)3.
Survival
Survival rates of skin cancer and melanoma vary depending on the type of cancer and the stage. Early-stage melanoma that has not spread at all has a 5-year survival rate of over 99 percent. However, melanomas that have spread to other parts of the body have a 5-year survival rate of 35 percent. This highlights the importance of detecting melanoma early.
Cancer Symptoms and Risk Factors
Symptoms
Melanomas can be most readily identified as areas of skin that change color, shape, and size or have a noticeably different appearance from other spots or moles. Moles that develop later in life are of particular concern and warrant consultation with a doctor4.
Problematic moles can be asymmetrical, meaning one side does not match the other, and may have an irregular or lumpy border compared to healthy marks4.
Besides moles with the above characteristics, symptoms of melanoma can include:
- Changes to the surface of a mole
- Redness, swelling, or itching of a mole
- A skin sore that doesn’t heal
Risk factors
As previously mentioned, fair skin and older age are risk factors for developing skin cancer. Other contributing factors include exposure to certain chemicals and UV radiation. Medical conditions, such as a history of skin cancer, HPV infection, and rare genetic disorders like xeroderma pigmentosum and basal cell nevus syndrome, can also increase risk. Additionally, smoking and inherited genetic syndromes further raise the likelihood of developing skin cancer5.
New Research on Cancer and Survival
Research published since 2024 has provided a wealth of insight into promising treatment and diagnostic approaches for skin cancers. Let’s discuss four of these studies to understand how they advance current knowledge and may shape future skin cancer management and treatment practices.
Immunotherapy Improves Survival in Melanoma Patients
Advanced melanoma carries a worse 5-year survival rate than earlier stages of the disease, which means that more effective treatments are necessary for later stages. Immunotherapies help your body’s immune system find and fight diseases like cancer more effectively, and are beneficial treatments in many contexts. The final results of a 10-year-long clinical study were published in 2024 and found that a combination of two immunotherapies, nivolumab and ipilimumab, increased the overall survival of patients with advanced melanoma compared to patients who received ipilimumab alone6.
Why it matters: This study shows that combining immunotherapies can significantly improve survival for people with advanced melanoma, offering new hope where treatment options have been limited.
Cancer Vaccines Improve Survival in Melanoma Trial
Cancer vaccines are a promising therapy to help support and train the body's immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells. An ongoing clinical trial has published promising results indicating that adding specific cancer-associated peptides (proteins that train the immune system to attack cancer) to cancer vaccine treatment regimens improves overall survival. Interestingly, however, this benefit was only seen for males involved in the trial, offering insights into how tailoring therapies based on sex can improve outcomes7.
Why it matters: This study shows that adding targeted peptides to cancer vaccines may improve survival, underscoring the potential for more personalized cancer therapies.
Sequencing Circulating Tumor DNA Helps to Monitor Melanoma Therapy Response and Recurrence
Many immunotherapies have been shown to improve melanoma patient survival. However, simple ways to monitor treatment effectiveness or detect recurrence early are limited. Although PET/CT scans are commonly used, they are costly and can't be performed frequently. Researchers discovered that sequencing circulating tumor DNA from blood samples accurately tracks treatment response, offering a less invasive and more accessible alternative to existing methods8.
Why it matters: More frequent screening for recurrence and treatment efficacy leads to more informed clinical decision-making and the potential for improved outcomes.
Explainable AI Improves Dermatologist Confidence in Melanoma Diagnostics
AI has improved the diagnosis of melanoma, but a lack of transparency in how AI systems make decisions has affected dermatologists' confidence in using them. To address this, researchers developed an explainable AI system that enhanced dermatologists' trust and offered greater alignment between AI and human decisions. This improved alignment is expected to support the broader adoption of AI in clinical practice, enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses of skin cancers9.
Why it matters: This study helps support increased trust and transparency in AI systems, which can lead to earlier detection and better outcomes for patients with melanoma.
How Early Detection Is Changing the Future of Cancer
Early detection through more effective use of AI and increased awareness can improve outcomes by enabling more timely treatment. For advanced melanoma, immunotherapies offer new hope for a disease that typically has a poorer prognosis at later stages. In addition, advances in liquid biopsies are improving the ability to monitor treatment response and detect relapse, further enhancing healthcare providers' capacity to deliver life-saving care.
Ezra’s full-body and organ-specific scans help detect cancer-related changes early, often before symptoms begin. In many cases, early detection means better options and better outcomes.
What You Can Do to Make a Difference
Staying informed about the latest research is fantastic, and you can make an even greater impact during Skin Cancer Awareness Month by getting involved through education, active participation, and engaging with local and global skin cancer communities.
1. Ways to Get Involved
Volunteering for Skin Cancer Awareness by contacting local or national organizations is a meaningful way to get involved and make a difference.
The Skin Cancer Foundation offers resources for how to get involved, including setting up a fundraiser or donating to skin cancer screenings and research. The American Skin Association is a nonprofit that accepts donations to fund its work, including education, research grants, and public awareness campaigns.
Simple ways to show support include wearing a black ribbon or bracelet, or discussing skin cancer risk and awareness with your friends and family.
2. Spreading Awareness
A fantastic way to participate in Skin Cancer Awareness month is to share skin cancer facts at work, school, or on social media. It’s important to spread information from trusted sources such as the American Skin Association and the Skin Cancer Foundation, which offers a downloadable PDF of skin cancer facts.
The Skin Cancer Foundation encourages people to share facts about skin cancer and their stories about how this disease has affected their lives.
If you're posting on social media, consider using and searching the following hashtags to connect with others and raise awareness:
#SkinCancerIsPersonal #SkinCheckChallenge #ThisIsSkinCancer #SkinCancerIsSerious #MelanomaMonday #SkinCancerAwareness #MelanomaAwareness
3. Connecting to Community
The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Robins Nest program offers many support resources, including directories of support organizations, treatment assistance programs, advocacy groups, and financial aid options. The American Cancer Society provides a 24/7 helpline and a page to find support programs in your area.
FAQ
Q: Is skin cancer hereditary?
A: Skin cancer can sometimes be hereditary. In certain families, genetic syndromes are passed down from parents to children, including specific genetic markers that increase the risk of developing cancers such as melanoma.
Q: What’s the survival rate?
A: Survival rates for skin cancer and melanoma largely depend on the stage of the cancer, which reflects how far it has spread. When the cancer is localized and hasn’t spread beyond its original site, the 5-year survival rate is over 99 percent. However, if the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, the 5-year survival rate drops to about 35 percent10.
Q: Is it treatable if caught early?
A: Yes. If skin cancer is caught early, it can be effectively treated, typically with surgical removal of the cancer11.
Q: At what age is risk highest?
A: The average age of diagnosis is 66, meaning that advanced age is associated with increased risk. However, skin cancers are also relatively common in younger individuals3.
