Prevention and early detection of skin cancer/melanoma.

In the USA malignant neoplasms of the skin are the most common cancers of man. Annually, over 500,000 new cutaneous cancers are diagnosed. Of particular concern is the inexorable increase in the incidence and mortality rate of malignant melanoma (in 1978: 25,000 new cases; 5800 deaths). There are substantial data that (1) implicate sunlight as the probable cause of many cancers of the skin, and that, (2) indicate early diagnosis and prompt treatment results in cure in most instances. The time has come to create, implement, and evaluate a National Program on Education of the Medical Profession and the Public on Cancers of the Skin with emphasis on cutaneous malignant melanoma.