Skin screenings may lead to increased biopsy rates, melanoma overdiagnosis
Source: Healio, October 2022
Individuals who undergo skin screenings experience higher rates of biopsies and melanoma, according to a study.
There is a growing concern that increased diagnostic scrutiny, including frequent skin examinations and biopsies, is leading to the detection of indolent melanomas that otherwise would have never become lethal, according to David C. Whiteman, MD, PhD, a senior scientist in the cancer control group at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Herston, Queensland, Australia, and colleagues wrote.
“The harms of overdiagnosis include psychological harm and overtreatment, leading to unnecessary physical pain and suffering, and higher costs,” Whiteman told Healio. “The paper highlights the challenges of implementing systematic early detection programs for melanoma.”