Melanoma Cancer Statistics and Prognosis

Melanoma cancer statistics is a system of representing vital data related to the disorder in a systematic and convenient way so that it becomes easy for its referrers to understand the details well. Melanoma cancer prognosis is a way of displaying approximate tendency of cancer cells to develop and spread in different skin areas in future and is closely linked with chances of survival of  the victim. Thus, prognosis rate is displayed in percentage and is just a prediction based on certain  outputs obtained during melanoma cancer diagnosis. Similar to survival rate, prognosis can be calculated for five or ten years starting from the time of diagnosis.

How is Melanoma Cancer Statistics and Prognosis Vital?

Melanoma cancer is a kind of infection (of cancerous type) that affects functioning of tissues and cells responsible for generation of melanin pigment. These cells are also known as melanocytes and play an important role in keeping skin health and color uniform and intact. Deficiency of melanin  can be identified by spotting discoloration or change in normal color of skin to uncommon black, brown, or tan shades. Several moles present on various areas of skin can also pose threat to skin health and cause sudden or gradual generation of cancer cells.

Statistics for melanoma cancer is vital because it gives factual data about various parameters like overall numbers of cases of cancer of melanocytes occurred on a regional or global basis, deaths caused due to the disorder, and major risk factors responsible for most of the cases. Statistics also provides inputs about which race and gender is more vulnerable to the disorder. Melanoma cancer prognosis helps to understand basic chances of recovery of victim depending upon stage he is going through. Prognosis is calculated in percentage and the figures are almost similar to those obtained for life expectancy.

Melanoma Cancer Statistics and Prognosis in Numbers

According to data by National Cancer Institute (United States of America), approximately 76,250 cases may occur in USA alone in 2012. Death toll due to melanocyte cancer may go to 9,180. On an average, 160,000 cases occur worldwide annually says another statistical report.

Men have more chances of suffering from melanocyte cancer in comparison to women. If we compare occurrence rate among black and white race, the disease is 10 times more common in Caucasians as compared to black people. Mostly, people above 40 years have high chances of malignancy in melanocytes. Among whites, the rate of occurrence is 1 out of every 50 persons while the same is just 1 out of every 1000 in blacks. Average rate of occurrence of the disorder is 27.2 per 100,000 males and 16.7 per 100,000 females. Around 31.6 out of every 100,000 males and 19.9 out of every 100,000 females are detected for the disorder.    

Melanoma cancer prognosis is quite fair for initial phases. Five-year prognosis for stage one is 92-97%. Stage 2 victim has around 53-81% chances to survive. In stage 3, a person has 40-78% chances of fair survival while, the ones going through last stage have 15-20% prognosis rate. Rate is subject to alter depending upon regional factors like climatic conditions and work conditions. Personal medical history is also a considerable aspect for alteration in prognosis rate.

Melanoma cancer statistics has to be well-researched and accurate. It is one of the major tools for  further research on the disorder and can also be used constructively for proper and timely melanoma cancer awareness. Melanoma cancer prognosis may differ with times and need to be updated on regular basis for convenience of patients as well as physicians.