ABSTRACT
The incidence of skin cancer continues to rise rapidly and remains an important public health issue. In the United States, more than one million cases of skin cancer were expected to be newly diagnosed in 2005 (1). One in five individuals in the U.S. will develop a skin cancer during his or her lifetime, and half of all cancers diagnosed are cancers of the skin. Because the incidence of skin cancer increases with age, it can be expected that more skin cancers will occur as the U.S. population ages and life expectancy continues to improve. More than half (53%) of skin cancer-related deaths occur in individuals older than 65 years (2). In the United States, older men have the highest melanoma risk and should be the targets of screening efforts.
