Ocean County Public Health Profile Report
Incidence of Melanoma of the Skin: Age-Adjusted Rate per 100,000 Males, 2014-2018
Ocean 42.295% Confidence Interval (39.3 - 45.3)Description of the Confidence IntervalThe confidence interval indicates the range of probable true values for the level of risk in the community.
A value of "NA" (Not Available) will appear if the confidence interval was not published with the NJSHAD indicator data for this measure.State 28.5U.S. NA NA=Data not available.Ocean Compared to State
Description of GaugeDescription of the Gauge
This graphic is based on the county data to the left. It compares the county value of this indicator to the state overall value.- Excellent = The county's value on this indicator is BETTER than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
- Watch = The county's value is BETTER than state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
- Improvement Needed = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
- Reason for Concern = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
The county value is considered statistically significantly different from the state value if the state value is outside the range of the county's 95% confidence interval. If the county's data or 95% confidence interval information is not available, a blank gauge image will be displayed with the message, "missing information."NOTE: The labels used on the gauge graphic are meant to describe the county's status in plain language. The placement of the gauge needle is based solely on the statistical difference between the county and state values. When selecting priority health issues to work on, a county should take into account additional factors such as how much improvement could be made, the U.S. value, the statistical stability of the county number, the severity of the health condition, and whether the difference is clinically significant.
Why Is This Important?
Cancer of the skin is by far the most common of all cancers. Melanoma accounts for less than 5% of skin cancer cases but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths. Most melanoma of the skin is caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Whites have age-adjusted incidence rates that are more than 15 times higher than Blacks. People with light complexions have the highest risk of melanoma of the skin.Risk and Resiliency Factors
The NCI^1^ has determined that '''sun and UV radiation''' exposure (including indoor tanning) are associated with a substantial increase in the risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and that there is fair evidence that '''intermittent acute sun exposure leading to sunburn''' is associated with an increased risk of melanoma. 1. National Cancer Institute. [https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/hp/skin-prevention-pdq Skin Cancer Prevention - Health Professional Version]. [last reviewed: 1/29/20]How Are We Doing?
During 2018, 1,309 men and 965 women in New Jersey were diagnosed with melanoma of the skin. Between 1990 and 2018, age-adjusted incidence rates for melanoma of the skin increased from 14.4 to 26.5 cases per 100,000 for males and from 10.2 cases to 16.8 cases per 100,000 in females. During the same interval, age-adjusted incidence rates increased in Whites from 13.1 to 24.6 per 100,000. The lifetime risk of developing melanoma of the skin is 1 in 36 for men and 1 in 56 for women.What Is Being Done?
A Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan was developed by the Task Force on Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment in New Jersey which aims to reduce the incidence, illness and death due to cancer among New Jersey residents. [https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ncccp/ccc_plans.htm]Related Indicators
Risk Factors:
Health Status Outcomes:
Note
Incidence rates (cases per 100,000 population per year) are age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population (19 age groups: <1, 1-4, 5-9, ..., 80-84, 85+). Rates are for invasive cancer only (except for bladder cancer which is invasive and in situ) or unless otherwise specified. Number of cases (numerator) is the total count of cases in five years.Data Sources
NJ State Cancer Registry, Nov 16, 2020 Analytic File, using NCI SEER*Stat ver. 8.3.9, [https://seer.cancer.gov/seerstat/] NJ population estimates as calculated by the NCI's SEER Program, released February 2021, [https://www.seer.cancer.gov/popdata/download.html]Measure Description for Incidence of Melanoma of the Skin
Definition: Incidence rate of invasive melanoma of the skin for a defined population in a specified time interval. Rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Standard Population. Rates are per 100,000 population.
Numerator: Number of new cases of melanoma of the skin among a defined population in a specified time interval.
Denominator: Defined population in a specified time interval.