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Clinical Preventive Services -
Screening - Neoplastic Diseases -
Skin Cancer
ACPM Recommendations:
The American College of Preventive
Medicine (ACPM) recommends periodic
total cutaneous examinations be
performed, targeting populations at high
risk for malignant melanoma. The ACPM,
however, finds insufficient evidence to
characterize periodicity of skin
examinations more precisely. Those at
high risk include individuals with
family or personal history of skin
cancer, predisposing phenotypic
characteristics, and increased
occupational or recreational exposure to
sunlight, or clinical evidence of
precursor lesions -- e.g., dysplastic or
congenital nevi. The ACPM also
recommends that practitioners who
perform skin examinations undergo
training to assure high-quality
examinations and to reduce unnecessary
biopsies. Further research efforts, in
the form of well-conducted
observational, case-controlled studies,
or randomized clinical trials, are
needed to better elucidate both the
interval and the risk-benefit ratio of
screening skin examinations for various
populations.
- See the entire ACPM recommendation
at:
Screening for Skin Cancer.
Rebecca L. Ferrini, MD, MPH, Monica
Perlman, MD, MPH and Linda Hill, MD,
FACPM, University of
California/California State University
General Preventive Medicine Residency
Program. Am J Prev Med. January 1998.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Recommendations:
The U.S. Preventive
Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes
that the evidence is insufficient to
recommend for or against routine
screening for skin cancer using a
total-body skin examination for the
early detection of cutaneous melanoma,
basal cell cancer, or squamous cell skin
cancer (I
recommendation).
Other strategies
to prevent skin cancer, such as
counseling to reduce risky health
behaviors and performance of skin
self-examination, will be addressed in a
separate recommendation.
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