A Survey work on Early Detection methods of Melanoma Skin Cancer

Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and is responsible for more than 70 percent of skin cancer deaths. Melanomas develop from malignant melanocytes. Based on the years lost to cancer, melanoma would merit a higher ranking because relatively young people are affected by this malignancy. Melanoma is usually diagnosed in patients of a relatively young age; overall, the total number of patients suffering from melanoma is accumulating. Consequently, the total burden of melanoma is assumed to be increasing among Caucasian populations. As the overall burden of melanoma is increasing; prognosis strongly depends on the stage at diagnosis; and, most importantly, effective treatments for advanced stages are lacking, there is a high potential benefit for the prevention of melanoma. However, most of the established risk factors for melanoma, such as fair skin type, freckles, light eye color, older age, history of sun burns, clinical atypical nevi, prior melanoma, and family history of melanoma, are not amenable to intervention. Only sun burns and sun exposure are, at least in theory, amenable. Indeed, sun protection measures are part of melanoma prevention programs. In some high risk countries comprehensive sun protection programs have been implemented over a decade ago and sun screen use is widely promoted to the general public. These public health campaigns have increased awareness on skin cancer and the adverse events of excessive sun exposure, but failed to change the sun exposure behavior in the general population. Various researchers have shown their interest in early detection of melanoma and immense amount of work has been provided for the diagnosis of melanoma. In this paper the various methods in the process of early detection were discussed and the merits and demerits of the corresponding methods were present.