Epidemiology of Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCC) of the Skin

BCCs are the most common cancer in the United States, and the incidence is rapidly rising
It is estimated that BCCs occur in 2 million Americans annually:
- Exceeding the incidence of all other cancers
BCCs are at least two times more common than squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs):
- The second most common type of skin cancer
The exact number of cases is difficult to estimate because these cases are not required to be reported to cancer registries
BCCs generally have a good prognosis due to the low rate of metastasis (0.05%)
In the U.S., more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day
- More than two people die of the disease every hour
More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined
At least one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70
Actinic keratosis is the most common precancer:
- It affects more than 58 million Americans
Non-melanoma skin cancer:
- The diagnosis and treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers in the U.S:
  - Increased by 77% between 1994 and 2014
- About 90% of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun
- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC):
  - Is the most common form of skin cancer:
    - An estimated 3.6 million cases of BCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year
- Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC):
  - Is the second most common form of skin cancer:
    - An estimated 1.8 million cases of SCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year
- More than 5,400 people worldwide die of nonmelanoma skin cancer every month
- Organ transplant patients:
  - Are approximately 100 times more likely than the general public to develop squamous cell carcinoma
- Regular daily use of an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen reduces the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma:
  - By about 40^%