Men over 50 years old are more motivated to seek screening for the skin cancer melanoma if they are made aware of the risk factors through public education and have access to screening exams, according to a new study. Published in the August 15, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study reveals that men who had skin lesions removed previously, who were concerned about a mole, or who had identified personal risk factors for melanoma were more likely to undergo a whole body skin exam. This community-based, melanoma screening intervention significantly increased screening rates in this older age group.

Melanoma is one of the deadliest types of skin cancer. It arises from pigmented cells called melanocytes, most commonly found in the skin, and once invasive, will rapidly spread throughout the body. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is known to greatly increase risk. Though the incidence of all skin cancers is on the rise, rates of melanomas have increased most rapidly, almost 15-fold, over the last 50 years. That increase has been observed over-proportionally in men over 50 years. Currently, this group represents almost half of all deaths from melanoma in developed countries, but is the least likely age group to be screened.

Joanne Aitken, Ph.D. of the Viertel Centre for Research in Cancer Control, Queensland Cancer Fund in Brisbane, Australia and investigators conducted a melanoma screening intervention trial in 18 communities in Queensland, Australia. Nine communities were randomly selected to participate in a three-year public education campaign that comprised community education, local physician education, and the establishment of easily accessible dedicated skin screening clinics. No intervention was done in the other nine communities. Subjects were then followed for two years after the intervention. Investigators previously reported that the intervention significantly increased screening rates.
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Contact: Amy Molnar
amolnar@wiley.com
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
10-Jul-2006