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Screening for Skin CancerAbsence of Evidence
Daniel G. Federman, MD;
John Concato, MD, MS, MPH;
Robert S. Kirsner, MD, PhD
Arch Dermatol. 2009;145(8):926-927.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings. |
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Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
—Carl Sagan
If early melanomas can be detected by full-body skin examination (FBSE) and removed surgically, doesn't screening for skin cancer make sense? Then why shouldn't we recommend this approach for our patients? These questions summarize a common reaction to a recommendation by the US Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF), an organization lauded for using an evidenced-based approach. In a recent update1-2 regarding skin cancer screening, the USPSTF concluded: "The current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for skin cancer by primary care clinicians or by patient skin self-examination."1(p18)
The USPSTF statement includes an "I" (insufficient) rating, meaning that the evidence is lacking, of poor quality, or conflicting. In brief, the recommendation was due largely to a lack of evidence from . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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