Melanoma Screening Saves Lives
Melanoma Screening Saves Lives
Melanoma is by far the deadliest form of skin cancer (causing more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths) and a major public health concern. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 68,720 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the US during 2009, resulting in about 8,650 deaths, almost one per hour. The disease is currently the sixth most common cancer in the US and the number one cancer in young adults aged 25-29.
Early detection of melanoma can significantly reduce both morbidity and mortality. The risk of dying from the disease, in fact, is directly related to the depth of the cancer, which is directly related to the amount of time it has been growing unnoticed. Hence, earlier detection leads to thinner cancers and saves lives. Fortunately, unlike most other cancers, skin cancers present on the skin and are most often readily visible to the patient and the examiner. Patient skin self-examination (SSE), physician-directed total-body skin exams (TBSE), and patient education are the keys to early detection.
Despite the obvious common sense conclusion that these strategies save lives, in February 2009 the United States Preventa-tive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a recommendation guideline stating that "current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of using a whole-body skin examination by a primary care clinician or patient skin self-examination for the early detection of cutaneous melanoma, basal cell cancer, or squamous cell skin cancer in the adult general popula-tion." Although this statement assumes a fairly neutral position, it has unfortunately led to some inappropriate conclusions questioning the value of skin cancer screenings for the public.
Introduction
Melanoma is by far the deadliest form of skin cancer (causing more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths) and a major public health concern. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 68,720 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the US during 2009, resulting in about 8,650 deaths, almost one per hour. The disease is currently the sixth most common cancer in the US and the number one cancer in young adults aged 25-29.
Early detection of melanoma can significantly reduce both morbidity and mortality. The risk of dying from the disease, in fact, is directly related to the depth of the cancer, which is directly related to the amount of time it has been growing unnoticed. Hence, earlier detection leads to thinner cancers and saves lives. Fortunately, unlike most other cancers, skin cancers present on the skin and are most often readily visible to the patient and the examiner. Patient skin self-examination (SSE), physician-directed total-body skin exams (TBSE), and patient education are the keys to early detection.
Despite the obvious common sense conclusion that these strategies save lives, in February 2009 the United States Preventa-tive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a recommendation guideline stating that "current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of using a whole-body skin examination by a primary care clinician or patient skin self-examination for the early detection of cutaneous melanoma, basal cell cancer, or squamous cell skin cancer in the adult general popula-tion." Although this statement assumes a fairly neutral position, it has unfortunately led to some inappropriate conclusions questioning the value of skin cancer screenings for the public.
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