Prevention and early diagnosis of melanoma: a regional experience in Italy

Background Over the 1980s several education campaigns for prevention and early diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma have been reported from various parts of the world. Aim To improve incidence and prognosis of cutaneous melanoma in 1985 we started, in our area, an information and health education campaign aimed at identifying precursors of melanoma (congenital melanocytic nevi), suspicious lesions (changing moles) and subjects with increased risk of melanoma. Method Precursors and suspicious lesions were promptly removed, and high-risk persons entered the follow-up program. Result As a general effect of these activities the percentage of thin melanomas diagnosed in our division after 1985 increased from 25 to 37. Conclusion We believe that education campaigns and screening of a targeted population, particularly of subjects presenting increased risk of melanoma, may be helpful in the early diagnosis of melanoma.