Next time you decide to head to the tanning salon to get that bronzed glow for beach season, think again. A recent study by the Mayo Clinic reported a significant escalation in skin cancer, especially among people under 40. Young women in particular are the most affected.

Although mortality rates from melanoma have improved largely due to early detection and immediate medical care, the rising rate of skin cancer in young women is alarming. The study observed first-time diagnoses of melanoma in patients aged 18 to 39 from 1970 to 2009, and found that the incidence of melanoma increased by eight times among young women and by four times among young men. Researchers believe that the use of indoor tanning beds is the chief cause of the rising cancer rate in young women.

According to a study cited by lead investigator Jerry Brewer, M.D., a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, people who use indoor tanning beds frequently are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma. Despite the information available to the public about the dangers of tanning beds, young women in particular continue to use them. Nearly 30 million people tan indoors and an estimated 71 percent of tanning salon patrons are females aged 16-29. The results of the Mayo Clinic study highlight the need for improved intervention to decrease risk factors for skin cancer and more effective treatment options for advanced melanoma because of the larger patient pool.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It develops in the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. Melanoma can also form in the eyes and, rarely, in internal organs. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning lamps increases the risk of melanoma, but genetic makeup can also be a factor.

Melanoma can develop anywhere on the body but most often develops in areas that receive frequent exposure to the sun, such as the back, legs, arms and face. The first symptoms include a change in an existing mole or the development of a new and unusual growth on the skin. Melanoma occurs when skin cells develop DNA damage, whether it be caused by UV radiation, environmental or genetic factors, causing new cells to grow out of control and form a mass of cancerous cells. While it can be successfully treated if detected early, advanced melanoma is more difficult, especially when the disease spreads to the lymph nodes or other areas of the body.

However, two new drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), vemurafenib and ipilimumab, could slow the progression of melanoma and possibly extend survival in patients with advanced cancer. These therapies target abnormal genes in melanoma cells in an attempt to stop their out of control growth.