Melanoma Prevention

Primary prevention measures are used with the intent to decrease or ameliorate the effects of pro-tumorgenic damage to normal tissue. Secondary prevention consists of interventions that decrease morbidity and mortality from melanoma for patients whose skin harbors initiating mutations and/or early-stage melanomas. The most important secondary prevention modality is early detection and removal of melanoma before it attains metastatic or lethal potential. Secondary prevention can also involve halting the progression of transformed cells to lethal cancers by other means such as therapeutic prevention. Tailoring prevention strategies to different populations and specific patients starts with assessments of phenotypic, environmental, and genetic risk factors for melanoma. Our discussions of primary prevention focus on the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV) and methods for decreasing risk by the use of sunscreen, and avoiding exposure to UV from the sun and tanning beds. We then discuss secondary prevention modalities and identify those that are most appropriate for patients and populations at each level of risk for melanoma. Secondary prevention strategies include education, skin self-examination, use of mobile applications, provider screenings, total body skin examinations by dermatologists, and genetic testing. We also discuss population-level interventions and additional public health issues surrounding melanoma prevention.