Skin cancer facts

All of the following play a role in determining your risk of developing skin cancer:
the total amount of sun received over the years
the number of sunburns or tans you have had
your skin type
your family history
the environment you live in

Nearly 50% of people over the age of 65 have or have had some form of skin cancer. Almost all skin cancers are preventable. There is some good news however: 95% of all skin cancers are curable with removal if they are found early enough.
Light-skinned individuals are most at risk of developing skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (non-melanoma skin cancers). The lesions usually show up on sun-exposed areas such as backs of legs, arms, neck, face, and scalp.
These cancers are usually not metastatic. This means that, typically, they don't spread to other parts of the body and are cured upon removal of the lesion. Nearly 70% of non-melanoma skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas and 30% are squamous cell carcinomas.
Malignant melanomas are more serious, as they can quickly spread to other organs in the body and can result in death. They account for 2% of all skin cancers.
It takes about 10 to 20 years or more for skin cancers to develop, which means that a cancer discovered in your 50s may be due to sun exposure in your early 20s.