title: A nationwide population-based skin cancer screening in Germany: proceedings of the first meeting of the International Task Force on Skin Cancer Screening and Prevention (September 24 and 25, 2009).
abstract: Skin cancer incidence is increasing worldwide in white populations and mortality rates have not declined throughout most of the world. An extraordinarily high proportion of at-risk individuals have yet to be screened for melanoma but guidelines from esteemed bodies do not currently endorse population-based screening. Evidence for the effectiveness of skin cancer screening is imperative. To this end, scientists in Germany have launched a nationwide skin cancer screening campaign. Herein, we review pilot screening data from Schleswig-Holstein, discuss the launch of the major new national initiative, review issues related to evaluation of that program, and propose seven recommendations from the International Task Force on Skin Cancer Screening and Prevention that was held in Hamburg, Germany, on September 24 and 25, 2009.
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. ageller@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Alan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Geller
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greinert
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Weinstock
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aitken
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boniol
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capellaro
authors.forename: Jean-Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Doré
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elwood
authors.forename: Suzanne W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: Allan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katalinic
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Ashfag A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Marghoob
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schüz
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Volkmer
authors.forename: Eckhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Breitbart
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*