PCPs Could Help Detect Skin Cancer Earlier

April 5th, 2017

As with most cancers, early detection of skin cancer is often the key to survival. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, can have a high survival rate if detected early enough, according to the American Cancer Society. Research conducted at The University of Pittsburgh suggests that if full-body skin cancer screenings became a part of routine annual primary care visits, significantly more skin cancers would be discovered and at earlier stages.

Laura Ferris, MD, PhD (Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine), and John Kirkwood, MD (Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine)—examined the electronic health records of more than 300,000 patients who visited a UPMC primary care physician in 2014 to track the screenings and melanomas diagnosed.  

Researchers found that the incidence of melanoma in the screened population was more than double that of the unscreened population, and the melanomas discovered in the screened patients were thinner than those of the unscreened patients. This is important because thinner melanomas are easier to treat.

According to Dr. Ferris, there is a need to establish specific guidelines for regular skin cancer screening and the annual physical may be the best time to incorporate this into standard care.