Mount Sinai Skin Cancer Medical Oncology Program

Melanoma, basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are the most common forms of skin cancer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society:

• In 2010, it was estimated that 68,130 people were diagnosed with melanoma and 8,700 people died from the disease in the United States.
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• BCCs and SCCs are collectively known as non-melanoma skin cancers. They are the most common form of skin cancer with over 2 million cases diagnosed each year in the United States. BCCs are approximately four times more common than SCCs.

A Team of Distinguished Experts

At Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, we have a collaborative team of leaders in the field of skin cancer research, management and treatment. The team includes dermatologists, medical oncologists and surgeons, as well as groundbreaking researchers who are hard at work developing novel treatment strategies in the laboratory and advancing our understanding of the pathogenesis of these malignancies. Our team also includes care coordinators, nutritionists and social workers committed to providing the highest quality care.

Who's At Risk?

Anyone who has exposure to the sun is at risk of developing some form of skin cancer. One in 55 people will develop melanoma in his or her lifetime, with the median age of 59 years old. In men, the incidence of melanoma is increasing more rapidly than any other cancer type. And in women, the incidence of melanoma is increasing more rapidly than any kind of cancer other than lung cancer.

Risk factors include:

• Family history
• History of having atypical moles (dysplastic nevi)
• Sun exposure
• Inability to tan well
• Fair skinned
• Blistering sunburns
• Use of tanning parlors