French dermatologists, on the initiative of their union, offer a free and anonymous screening day every year for cancers and cancerous lesions of the skin. Screening, because these cancers are fairly easily detected by a simple visual examination of our skin looking – in particular, for suspicious moles -. Free, therefore anonymous, this efficient and intelligent operation could have taken the provocative name of “all naked”, because it is indeed in this way that the battle must be fought, the cancers of the skin being able indeed by definition to nestle all over ! And it is quite rare that doctors, often overwhelmed and in a hurry, take the time to examine the patient in his original nudity. Nearly 30,000 come to a dermatologist every year. Because this screening, in addition to being simple, is effective. Campaigns save lives. I say “save” because melanoma, this is how we call this cancer, is undoubtedly one of the most formidable.
Insidious, painless, it is often too late when he signals his presence. Medicine still stumbles on a really effective treatment. She can only count on the trained eye of dermatologists to anticipate the fight. Because for a non-professional, it is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish an ordinary mole from skin cancer. All the more so if it is located in an inaccessible place such as the back, which is frequent, or under a fingernail, which is rarer, but almost always ignored.
In case of suspicion, the dermatologist can use a dermatoscope, a small device that allows you to better examine the skin. If the mole is suspicious, then it can be removed a few days later. In about 30 minutes, under local anesthesia, often in his own practice, this specialist takes what must be considered before it is analyzed, such as a suspicious mole. It is only after this laboratory analysis that we can decide that the intervention was sufficient – which happens in the majority of cases – or that a broader treatment should be considered. At a time when dermatologists are much criticized for unreasonable delays in obtaining appointments, we must salute this initiative – let us remember, crucial – free and anonymous screening.
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