Two new studies of skin cancer published in the March issue of the Archives of Dermatology have shown that non-melanoma skin cancers are the most common forms of cancer, afflicting 1 in 6 people today.
Now afflicting more people than all other cancers combined, incidences of skin cancer are expected to continue rising as generations of sun-worshipers age.
One study used a mathematical model, created by Dr. Robert Stern of Boston, to predict the pervasiveness of non-melanoma skin cancer in the United States today.
The other study, by dermatologist Dr. Howard Rogers, used data from national surveys and two Medicare databases to discover that the incidences of non-melanoma skin cancer have gone up a whopping 77 percent since the 1990’s.
There are two kinds of non-melanoma skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Basal cell carcinoma grows slowly, is rarely fatal, but can do tremendous damage to surrounding tissue and bone if not removed early.
Squamous cell carcinoma, when caught early, is very treatable. However, it can easily metastasize to other areas of the body and become more lethal.
Incidences of the most lethal skin cancer, melanoma, have also increased at the slower rate of 4-6 percent annually. 
“Real” skin cancer and “treatment” for skin cancer (what this study is based upon) are two different things. There is no doubt that there has been an “epidemic of diagnosis” of all types of “cancer” to include prostate, breast and skin — by our “for profit” medical system. This report and its publication feeds into the medical-industrial complex fear based “cancer scare” tactics to simply increase profits and for no other reason. Everyone I know who has visited a dermatologist in the past 20 years has come away with a “pre-cancer” removed and annual visits for the rest of their lives to have more removed. Don’t forget your equally useless twice a year teeth cleanings. And don’t forget your “free” brake inspections at Midas. No difference. Pre-cancer??? As the late great George Carlin once said regarding the over-use of the prefix “pre”: “Pre suck my genital situation”