Melanoma Thrives In New Jersey Like No Other State

The coming of summer is not only marked by an increased amount of time besides the pool, but also by an increased number of one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer - melanoma. What's more concerning is that the rate of occurrence of melanoma in New Jersey is far more than any other state in the country.

According to Dr. Kaufman of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the higher rate of melanoma in New Jersey is often attributed to the Jersey Shore. Kaufman further said that melanoma is one of the few forms of cancer that seem to be on the rise and the causes are partly unknown. A direct exposure to sun in summers may be the cause.

Kaufman explained how during an experiment surrounding melanoma, mice are put under ultraviolet radiation, so that they develop this form of skin cancer. Exactly the same thing happens at a tanning salon and people still prefer to go there to make that happen purposefully.

The rise in the number of cases of melanoma has primarily been observed in men aged over 65. According to Kaufman, men belonging to this age group are primarily retired and spend a majority of their time playing golf out there in the sun.

The other group that has been experiencing a rise in the number of melanoma cases include women in their 20s. Kaufman suspects that this may be due to tanning bed exposure during the high school days.

There are two major risk factors associated with melanoma, the first is an exposure to ultraviolet light, which might take place through sun or tanning salons. The other risk factor is genetic predisposition. Fair-skinned people, those with moles and freckles and people with a family history of skin cancer are at an increased risk of this form of cancer.