What to know about melanoma's threat in Pennsylvania

The rate of Pennsylvanians being diagnosed with melanoma is slightly below the national average, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Why it matters: Although melanoma accounts for only about 1% of skin cancers , it's responsible for the large majority of skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

• Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S.​

By the numbers: New cases of melanoma rose 2% to 3% annually in the U.S. between 2015 and 2019, Axios' Tina Reed reports.

• The number of people diagnosed with skin cancer over age 50 has increased in particular, says Shanthi Sivendran, ACS senior vice president of cancer care support.
• ACS estimates about 100,640 new cases of melanoma skin cancer will be diagnosed in 2024.

Zoom in: Pennsylvania's rate of new cases is 21.3 per 100,000 people, just below the national average of 22.5, per CDC.

• Philadelphia's rate — about 9 per 100,000 people — is on par with places like Washington, D.C.
• Montour County, where about 13% of its more than 18,000 residents are between ages 50-59, had the highest rate of new cases in the state (37), per the data.

What they're saying: "People who get periodically sunburnt frequently tend to have a higher risk of developing melanoma," says Henry Lim, dermatologist at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit and former president of American Academy of Dermatology.

• And sun exposure has a clear connection to basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers.

Lynn Schuchter, director of UPenn's Tara Miller Melanoma Center, says the racial makeup of the Philadelphia area could help explain the lower rate of new cases here, where more than 40% of people are Black.

• People with darker skin generally have more protection from harmful rays, Schuchter says.
• Younger white women who tan and older white men with "cumulative sun exposure" are particularly vulnerable to melanoma, Schuchter says.

Between the lines: "More sun exposure" isn't the only possible reason for the uptick in melanoma diagnoses.

• Other factors include more effective skin cancer detection and the fact that many Americans live longer, according to Sivendran.

Using sunscreen helps prevent skin cancer, and also wrinkles and skin discoloration.

• More tips for avoiding sun damage: stay in the shade, wear hats and other protective clothing while in the sun and reapply sunscreen .