The impact and benefit of screening and early detection of melanoma in the general population is controversial. Discrepancies exist in recommendations across different organizations worldwide. In the United States, a broad range of screening and surveillance strategies can be identified. The 2009 US Preventive Services Task Force stated that because of limited evidence linking skin cancer screening to improved health outcomes, screening in the general primary care population could not be recommended (Wolff etal., 2009). This statement was predicated on the lack of evidence from randomized controlled studies addressing the survival benefit of screening for skin cancer based on whole-body examination. Herein we review the current data on alternative, non-survival outcomes and benefits, including reduction of melanoma thickness at the time of diagnosis, reduced morbidity, enhanced primary and secondary prevention education, increased cost-effectiveness, and improved targeting of highest-risk populations, followed by methods to improve the effectiveness of screening. However, melanoma screening also comes with a price, which is not limited to financial implications.
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