The Case for Early Detection of Melanoma

Abstract

Background and Objective: The incidence and mortality from melanoma continue to rise worldwide. Unfortunately, there is still no consistently effective treatment for metastatic disease. The fact that survival for melanoma has increased dramatically over the last 30 years highlights the importance of early detection of this malignancy. Conclusion: With continued public education and the advent of new technologies, it is hoped that we will be able to improve on what has been accomplished to date to reduce the health burden of melanoma even further. This article reviews issues related to patient and physician detection of melanoma and highlights newer technologies being used for this purpose.