The Gallup analysis finds the largest concentrations in the West â and not just in the expected places like San Francisco and Portland, Ore. Among the nationâs 50 largest metropolitan areas, Denver and Salt Lake City are also in the top 10.
The most significant cost increase occurred in treatment for people with melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. The study found that the cost of treatment jumped 106 percent, rising from $2,320 annually to $4,789 annually.
Melanoma kills an estimated 9,940 people in the US annually. If melanoma is recognized and treated early, it is almost always curable, but if it is not, the cancer can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal.