Screening for melanoma skin cancer

There is no national screening programme for melanoma skin cancer in the UK. This is because research hasn’t been able to find out if the benefits of screening outweigh the risks. The best way to pick up melanoma early is for people to know the symptoms and see their GP if they have any of them.

Some people have a higher than average risk of melanoma skin cancer and can have skin checks by a specialist.

What is cancer screening?

Screening means testing people for early stages of a disease. This is before they have any symptoms. For screening to be useful the tests:

• need to be reliable at picking up cancers
• overall must do more good than harm to people taking part
• must be something that people are willing to do

Screening tests are not perfect and have some risks. The screening programme should also be good value for money for the NHS.

Education programmes

In the UK, education programmes let people know if they're at risk of developing melanoma. They also tell them what to look out for. The programmes encourage people to go to their doctor if they notice:

• a new mole
• changes in an existing mole or patch of skin

Examining your skin and moles

Doctors recommend that everybody checks their skin. So, it’s important to know what your skin and moles normally look like. You can then spot any changes and have them checked by your doctor. This is particularly important if you have:

• white skin or light coloured hair or eyes
• a tendency to freckle or burn in the sun
• large or abnormal moles, or a lot of moles

Having these can increase your risk of melanoma skin cancer.

You could ask a friend, relative or partner to look at areas of skin that you can't see easily. Make sure you're familiar with the normal appearance of skin that has been badly sunburned in the past.

Some melanomas develop from existing moles. The rest grow on what was previously normal skin. If you notice a new abnormal mole or an existing one that seems to be growing or changing, show it to your doctor.

People at higher risk of melanoma skin cancer

If you’ve had a melanoma in the past you have a higher than average risk of developing another melanoma. Your doctor or nurse specialist (CNS) will show you how to check your skin. They'll also tell you how often to check.

Some people have a much higher risk of developing melanoma skin cancer. This may include people who:

• have had more than 1 melanoma
• have 2 or more first degree relatives who have had melanoma
• have 3 or more people in their family diagnosed with melanoma or pancreatic cancer
• have had an organ transplant
• have dysplastic naevus syndrome
• have a family history of a gene change that increases the risk of melanoma
• were born with a very large mole (bigger than 20cm across)

As well as checking your own skin, you may have regular appointments with a skin specialist (dermatologist). They can carefully check your skin and advise you what changes to look out for.