Application of satellite-based estimate of UV data for skin cancer studies

Skin cancer, one of the most common cancer types in the U.S., represents a significant and growing public health burden. Annually, skin cancer costs an estimated $1.7 billion to treat and results in $3.8 billion in lost productivity. The most severe type of skin cancer, melanoma, causes over 75% of skin cancer deaths. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), approximately 76,690 people will be diagnosed with and 9,480 people will die of melanoma in 2013. The lifetime risk of melanoma in the U.S. has grown dramatically, from 1 in 1500 in the 1930s to 1 in 58 in 2009.

By integrating ground observations and atmospheric chemical transport model simulations, we aim at enhancing the existing TOMS and OMI surface UV product we will spatially match OMUVB exposure doses to 3,100 U.S. counties and study their association with county-level melanoma incidences reported by NCI.

This talk will introduce the satellite-based UV data, present the evaluation of the UV data with ground-based observation, and show preliminary analysis and ideas for health-related studies.