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Screening for Skin Cancer: An Update of the Evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Evidence Syntheses, No. 67
Tracy Wolff, MD, MPH, Eric Tai, MD, MPH, and Therese Miller, DrPH.
Author Information and AffiliationsStructured Abstract
Background:
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. The majority of skin cancers are non-melanoma cancers, either basal cell cancer or squamous cell cancer. The incidence of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer has been increasing over the last three decades.
Purpose:
To examine the evidence of benefits and harms of screening for skin cancer in the general population.
Data Sources:
MEDLINE and Cochrane Library searches, recent systematic reviews, reference lists of retrieved articles, and expert suggestions.
Study Selection:
English language studies were selected to answer the following question: Does screening in asymptomatic persons with a whole body examination by a primary care clinician or by self examination reduce morbidity and mortality from skin cancer? The following study types were selected: randomized controlled trials and case-control studies of screening for skin cancer.
Data Extraction:
All studies were reviewed, abstracted, and rated for quality using predefined USPSTF criteria.
Data Synthesis:
No new evidence from controlled studies was found that addressed the benefit of screening for skin cancer with a whole body examination.
Limitations:
There is a lack of direct evidence linking skin cancer screening to improved health outcomes. There is limited information on the accuracy of screening by physicians or patients using real patients and lesions.
Conclusions:
The limited evidence prevents an accurate estimation of the benefits of screening for skin cancer in the general primary care population.
A version of this report was published in Annals of Internal Medicine on February 3, 2009.
Suggested citation:
Wolff T, Tai E, Miller T. Screening for Skin Cancer: An Update of the Evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Evidence Synthesis No. 67. AHRQ Publication No. 09-05128-EF-1. Rockville, Maryland: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. February 2009.
This report is based on research conducted by staff of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD. The investigators involved have declared no conflicts of interest with objectively conducting this research. The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its content, and do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. No statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The information in this report is intended to help clinicians, employers, policymakers, and others make informed decisions about the provision of health care services. This report is intended as a reference and not as a substitute for clinical judgment.
This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for the development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.
- Review Screening for skin cancer: an update of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.[Ann Intern Med. 2009]Review Screening for skin cancer: an update of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Wolff T, Tai E, Miller T. Ann Intern Med. 2009 Feb 3; 150(3):194-8.
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