Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Self-Detection Not As Effective As Physician Screening For SKin Cancer

High-risk patients have a better chance of beating skin cancer if they see a dermatologist sooner than later. While many people know enough about the dangers of skin cancer to check their skin periodically, physicians are much better at noticing subtle changes. This was confirmed in a new study published in the Archives of Dermatology which revealed that self-detection was not as effective as screenings performed by doctors for detecting melanoma.

Nevertheless, self-examination is critical in diagnosing melanomas early. Increasing education for patients in recognizing melanoma signs and symptoms by performing skin self-examination will hopefully change these outcomes and allow patients to become as good as physicians in detecting skin cancer at an early stage. Talk to your physician or dermatologist about the best way to screen your skin.

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