Is training patients in self-examination an effective way to screen for melanoma?

Abstract

No studies demonstrate that training patients to examine their skin decreases mortality from melanoma in the general population. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that teaching patients to monitor their skin for suspicious lesions results in earlier detection of melanoma, better prognosis at diagnosis, or better clinical outcomes. However, patients who have had melanoma and perform self-examination have a lower risk of death from subsequent occurrences than those who do not (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, based on a case-control study).