Idaho had the highest melanoma death rate nationally between 2001 and 2005, 26 percent higher than the national average with about 40 Idahoans dying of melanoma every year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s skin cancer state statistics.

The latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/cancer/ skin/statistics/state.htm) show that in 2012, Idahoans developed melanoma at a rate of 26.9 per 100,000 each year.

Nationwide, someone dies of melanoma every minute, meaning it is the most common cancer in the United States. The rates of melanoma have been increasing for 30 years. Yet it is mostly preventable by decreasing exposure to ultraviolet light from either the sun or tanning beds.

Washington had the 16th highest melanoma death rate nationally between 2001 and 2005, which is 7.4 percent higher than the national average. That means about 175 Washingtonians die of melanoma every year. The 2012 rate of Washingtonians who developed melanoma was 25 per 100,000 people.

The reasons for the high rates in Idaho and Washington are a mystery, but they illustrate that even in cloudy areas, skin protection is crucial. UV rays reflect off water, which is common in both Idaho and Washington/Erica Curless, SR. .

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