Who should be screened for skin cancer?
Skin cancer may be treated more successfully if it is caught early.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) hasn't recommended for or against routine skin cancer screening for adults at normal risk. This means the USPSTF didn't find enough evidence from studies to show that all adults with a normal risk for skin cancer would benefit from having regular screening.
- But your doctor may suggest a regularly scheduled skin exam if your risk is higher than average because you have:
- Abnormal moles called atypical moles (dysplastic nevi). These moles are not cancerous, but their presence could be a sign of an inherited tendency to develop melanoma.
- Increased occupational or recreational exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
- Familial atypical multiple mole and melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome. This is an inherited tendency to develop melanoma. People that have it may need to check their skin every month and be checked by a doctor several times a year.
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