Prevention of malignant melanoma

Abstract

In sum, it is highly likely that a concerted effort to identify thin malignant melanomas when they are curable is an achievable goal in the United States. The combination of alerting the public to factors thought to be responsible for the induction of malignant melanomas (such as sunlight), of identifying precursor or marker lesions of malignant melanoma (such as dysplastic and congenital nevocytic nevi), and of teaching the medical profession and public alike how to recognize thin melanomas (so that they may be treated promptly and, thus, cured) would predictably reverse the current unacceptable trend of increased incidence and death rates of malignant melanoma.