Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.
Melanoma accounts for about four percent of skin cancer cases but causes nearly 80 percent of skin cancer deaths. According to the American Cancer Society there will be more than 47,500 cases of skin cancer diagnosed this year and it will claim about 7,700 lives in the United States. Melanoma is almost always curable in its earliest stages, but it's much more likely than nonmelanoma cancer to spread to other parts of the body. In men, melanoma is usually found on the trunk, but in women, it most often develops on the lower legs. One of the most common causes of skin cancer is spending too much time in the sun.