With skin cancer rates on the rise and the first new sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA in twenty years coming to market in August, skin cancer prevention is a hot topic this summer.

Learn about the latest skin cancer facts and statistics and the latest advancements in research.

2026 Skin Cancer Facts and Statistics

• More than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day in the United States.¹
• A person’s risk for melanoma doubles if they’ve had more than five sunburns in their lifetime.¹
• Regular use of an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen every day reduces the risk of developing melanoma by 50 percent.¹
• Diagnosis and treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers increased by 77 percent between 1994 and 2014 in the United States.¹
• In 2026, the number of new melanoma cases diagnosed is estimated to increase by 10.6 percent in the United States.¹

Innovation in Prevention

Physical protection from the sun, using either sunscreen or sun-protective clothing, is critical to keeping people safe from sun exposure. Chemical sunscreens, though effective in protecting against the harmful UV radiation, can cause skin irritation and allergies. In addition, the active ingredients can break down when exposed to sunlight,² and there is concern around their environmental impact.³

The FDA approved bemotrizinol, or BEMT, in June, making it the first new sunscreen ingredient approved by the FDA in two decades. BEMT has been widely used in Europe and other countries for years. BEMT offers broad spectrum protection from UVB rays, which cause sunburns and cancer, and UVA rays, which contribute to aging as well as cancer. Studies have shown that unlike other sunscreen ingredients, BEMT doesn’t lose effectiveness when exposed to sunlight, leave the skin with a white cast, or penetrate the skin.⁴

AI Aiding Diagnosis

In a study from Stanford Medicine that compared the performance of physicians working with AI diagnostic tools to physicians working without AI tools, the medical professionals who used AI assistance performed better overall.⁵ However, new research suggests that AI tools are limited in their effectiveness, showing that experienced Dermatologists outperform AI in clinical settings.⁶

The FDA approved the first AI-driven diagnostic tool for skin cancer in 2024, which can identify melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.⁷

Precision Treatments

In recent years, new treatments for advanced melanoma have extended patient life and even cured the disease. A new tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for melanoma turns a patient’s immune system into a powerful cancer-fighting tool. After the melanoma tumor is removed from the patient, doctors take lymphocytes from the tumor and grow them in a lab. The immune cells are returned to the patient after they undergo chemotherapy. This promising new treatment may help patients who do not respond to other therapies.⁸

A new study showed that combining an mRNA vaccine with a drug, stimulating a person’s immune system to kill cancer cells, can cut skin cancer recurrence and risk of death by 49 percent.⁹

With a long-awaited prevention tool hitting the U.S market, people will have more power to reduce their own risk. New diagnostic tools and precision-medicine approaches to treatment will allow clinicians to detect and deliver life-saving care faster.

Sources:

1. https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts/#:~:text=Data%20from%202014%20%E2%80%93%202020%20shows,men%20develop%20melanoma%20than%20women.
2. https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/#:~:text=Because%20avobenzone%20is%20not%20stable%2C%20it%20must,Avobenzone%20can%20also%20disrupt%20the%20endocrine%20system.
3. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/18/sunscreens-impact-on-marine-life-needs-urgent-investigation-study-finds#:~:text=Sunscreens%20contain%20chemical%20compounds%2C%20known,a%20decrease%20in%20fish%20fertility.
4. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/07/why-you-should-care-about-first-new-fda-approved-sunscreen-ingredient-in-20-years/
5. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/04/ai-skin-diagnosis.html#:~:text=A%20new%20study%20led%20by,that%20seen%20for%20non%2Ddermatologists.
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42234423/
7. https://www.targetedonc.com/view/fda-approves-first-ai-powered-skin-cancer-diagnostic-tool
8. https://www.mskcc.org/news/changing-melanoma-landscape-how-research-has-improved-outlook-people-advanced-disease#:~:text=One%20important%20new%20immunotherapy%20approach,the%20coming%20months%20and%20years.%E2%80%9D
9. https://ecancer.org/en/news/28383-asco-2026-cancer-vaccine-sustains-49-percent-melanoma-reduction-after-5-years