Evaluation of the National Swiss Skin Cancer Screening Campaign 2013: Do We Do the Right Thing?

Background: Skin cancer prevention and screening programs are performed in many countries. Their benefit is discussed controversially. Objective: Our aim is to evaluate the Skin Cancer Screening Program 2013 in Switzerland by following up screenees upon interventions. Methods: Quality was assessed by personal follow-up via phone/e-mail of every patient that had been screened during this campaign and histological follow-up of all participants with suspicious skin lesions. Results: Of the 1,087 screenees requiring interventions, 263 agreed to participate in the follow-up. We were able to obtain 66 histology reports. During this campaign 33 malignant lesions (8 melanomas) were removed. Conclusion: The overall melanoma detection rate in our free Skin Cancer Screening Program is comparable to those in European public activities. The costs of free screening programs compare favorably with the prevented potential therapeutic costs of late-stage melanoma. The low response rate of screenees agreeing to be followed up limits conclusions of this study.
Dermatology

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