July’s designation as UV Safety Month comes as no surprise. July is the month of summer vacations, beach trips, and plenty of other outdoor activities. Because I have a family history of skin cancer, UV Safety Month holds a unique and important personal importance. When I was asked to author an article for the July issue of ICD-10monitor, skin cancer coding struck me as the perfect topic.
Did You Know?
Skin cancer rates are on the rise. In fact, skin cancer has become the most frequently diagnosed form of cancer in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that every year there are “more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.”
- Several factors are contributing to the rise in skin cancer diagnoses nationwide:
- Patient awareness lags behind other, more publicized cancers.
- Skin is the largest organ in the human body.
The UV index is changing due to a diminished ozone layer – and even low-index days present a risk.