To Screen or Not to Screen Cutaneous Melanoma: A Case Report

As with all malignancies, the challenges of detecting and treating melanomas and other cutaneous malignancies at their earliest stages remain a priority. Routine skin examinations offer physicians an easy and cost-effective way to detect cutaneous melanomas and other skin cancers in high-risk individuals. However, there are no national consensus guidelines on skin cancer screening in the United States. Primary care physicians (PCPs) and dermatologists routinely face the challenge of when and how often to perform a total body skin examination (TBSE). Furthermore, PCPs are often hesitant to perform skin examinations due to limited training and a lack of confidence in proper diagnosis. This is a case report of a high-risk individual newly diagnosed with melanoma during an annual examination. This case will highlight the current issues and controversies surrounding screening guidelines for melanomas and non-melanoma skin cancers and the need to consider targeted screening in high-risk individuals.