July 28, 2016.
The publication of a report questioning the value of screening for skin cancer has sparked heated debate in the United States, where dermatologists are united in saying that only a visit to a specialist can rule out the risks of melanoma .
No family history, no mandatory screening
Skin cancer screening is debated in the United States. In line with this medical current, which believes that too early cancer screening can be harmful to patients, American scientists have just published a report in which they feel that encouraging people to go to the dermatologist every year to have their moles checked would be superfluous, when there is no history requiring more serious monitoring.
In this report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), this group of experts commissioned by the American authorities notes that “ the evidence to determine whether the potential benefits of an annual medical check-up outweigh the risks ” are ” insufficient in people with no family history of melanoma – an aggressive form of skin cancer – or special predispositions “.
Dermatologists highlight the importance of screening
After the publication of this report, of American dermatologists have expressed their doubts about the reliability of the results of this group of experts. ” To scientifically determine the usefulness of these examinations, it would be necessary to have very extensive clinical trial results given the low mortality of this cancer. However, these studies have not been carried out ”, Declared Dr. Weinstock, in an editorial published in the journal JAMA.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has put forward the role of the dermatologist, the sole judge of the usefulness of screening. ” Dermatologists Know Skin Cancer Screening Can Save Lives “, Declared the president of the AAD, Abel Torres, in a press release. ” Melanoma is the leading cause of death from skin cancer but the other forms of tumors, rarely fatal (superficial basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma), can also have devastating effects such as significant tissue loss », He added.
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