Screening for Skin Cancer: The Evidence Is Still Insufficient

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has updated their recommendations on skin cancer screening by primary care physicians and patient self-examination, reviewing any new evidence published since their last review in 2001. Little has changed over the years in their recommendations: Task force members again found insufficient evidence to make a recommendation on screening in the general adult population without history of premalignant or malignant lesions. The task force did not examine outcomes related to surveillance of patients at extremely high risk (e.g., those with familial syndromes). They noted the possibility of different risk-benefit ratios in those with history of skin cancer or other high-risk factors.

To dete…