title: Screening, early detection, education, and trends for melanoma: current status (2007-2013) and future directions: Part I. Epidemiology, high-risk groups, clinical strategies, and diagnostic technology.
abstract: While most cancers have shown both decreased incidence and mortality over the past several decades, the incidence of melanoma has continued to grow, and mortality has only recently stabilized in the United States and in many other countries. Certain populations, such as men >60 years of age and lower socioeconomic status groups, face a greater burden from disease. For any given stage and across all ages, men have shown worse melanoma survival than women, and low socioeconomic status groups have increased levels of mortality. Novel risk factors can help identify populations at greatest risk for melanoma and can aid in targeted early detection. Risk assessment tools have been created to identify high-risk patients based on various factors, and these tools can reduce the number of patients needed to screen for melanoma detection. Diagnostic techniques, such as dermatoscopy and total body photography, and new technologies, such as multispectral imaging, may increase the accuracy and reliability of early melanoma detection.
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, California; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Swetter
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Redwood City, California.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: ageller@hsph.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Alan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Geller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology