[Campaign of early detection of melanoma in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur area 1989. Lessons of an experience].

: The prognosis of melanoma is closely related to tumor thickness at the time of surgical excision. Thickness depends on the duration of disease before diagnosis. This underlines the importance of information campaigns to promote early diagnosis of melanoma. The purpose of this study was to estimate the cost and effectiveness of a media campaign for the early screening of malignant melanoma (MM) at national level. This trial, the first of its kind in France, was conducted in the spring of 1989 in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur-Corse region. The campaign combined an effort to inform and heighten awareness in the medical community and the broadcast of an information movie for the general population on a regional TV channel. Following the campaign, the number of MM diagnosed in a representative selection of pathology laboratories increased significantly compared with the same period of the previous year: + 108 p. 100 over the 10 first weeks, + 47.6 p. 100 over 6 months. This increase was mostly for MM of low thickness (less than 1 mm) which have a good prognosis: + 74 p. 100 over 6 months. However MM distribution by thickness was not significantly different from one year to the next. Although the number of added cost generated by this campaign could not be precisely determined, these positive initial results argue for a national prevention campaign based on the lessons of this experience.