Melanoma occurs most often in people who have a history of sunburns as a child; have fair skin, freckles, and moles; and have a family history of melanoma. It is more common in whites than in people with dark skin.

The American Cancer Society estimated that during 2008, over 62,480 people in the United States will be diagnosed with melanoma, and approximately 8,420 people will die from the disease.¹