Skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, affecting 1 in 5 people in the United States by age 70. In the U.S., more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other cancers combined.¹

Because of the prevalence of skin cancer, there is a strong imperative to increase awareness, improve prevention, and advance diagnosis and treatment.

Here are some of the latest advancements in skin cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Innovation in Prevention

Physical protection from the sun, either from 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

Researchers are studying mycosporines and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which are natural compounds found in a variety of organisms such as seaweeds, corals, lichens, and marine animals that protect against chronic UV radiation exposure. These biomolecules are being explored as possible therapeutic candidates, in addition to their potential for sun protection.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

The FDA approved the first AI-driven diagnostic tool for skin cancer, which can identify melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.⁶

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 drug. 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.⁷

New research and precision-medicine approaches have the potential to detect skin cancer sooner and deliver life-saving care.

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://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10686070/
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://www.targetedonc.com/view/fda-approves-first-ai-powered-skin-cancer-diagnostic-tool
7. 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