research questions about skin cancer

Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers Research Results and Study Updates

See Advances in Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers Research for an overview of recent findings and progress, plus ongoing projects supported by NCI.

In an event more than three decades in the making, FDA has approved lifileucel (Amtagvi), the first cancer treatment that uses immune cells called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, or TILs.

People with desmoplastic melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer, are likely to benefit from treatment with a single immunotherapy drug, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), according to new results from a small clinical trial.

For melanoma that can be treated with surgery, a few doses of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) beforehand looks to be a good choice. In a clinical trial, people who got the presurgical immunotherapy were much less likely to have their cancer come back than those who only received it after surgery.

Male patients with metastatic melanoma don’t live as long as females, and their tumors are more likely to become resistant to commonly used treatments. A new study may help explain why: the androgen receptor.

Regular skin cancer screening leads to many diagnoses of very early-stage melanomas, results from a new study suggest. The results add to a debate about whether screening is fueling an overdiagnosis of melanoma in the United States.

The immunotherapy treatment, which combines the LAG-3 inhibitor relatlimab and PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab, becomes the first new immune checkpoint inhibitor approved in 8 years. Both drugs are given to patients via a single infusion to treat advanced melanoma.

Melanoma cells that travel to the brain produce their own amyloid beta, helping the cells survive and form metastases, a new study in mice shows. The Alzheimer’s-linked proteins appear to tamp down the brain’s immune response to the cancer cells.

NCI researchers have found that a diet rich in fiber may help some people being treated for melanoma respond to immunotherapy treatment by influencing the gut microbiome. The new findings come from an analysis of people with melanoma and mouse models of the disease.

Clinical trial finds that ipilimumab (Yervoy) and nivolumab (Opdivo) combo is superior to a combination of the targeted therapies dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) as the first treatment for metastatic BRAF-positive melanoma.

Trial results show patients who received the immunotherapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda) after surgery to remove high-risk stage II melanomas were less likely to have the cancer come back than those who received no treatment after surgery.

People with advanced melanoma treated with two immunotherapy drugs—nivolumab (Opdivo) and a new drug called relatlimab—lived longer without their cancer getting worse than those treated only with nivolumab, results from a large clinical trial show.

While doctors are familiar with the short-term side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors, less is known about potential long-term side effects. A new study details the chronic side effects of these drugs in people who received them as part of treatment for melanoma.

In a large trial, tebentafusp helped patients with uveal melanoma live longer than patients who received other treatments for the disease. Uveal melanoma is an aggressive cancer of the eye, and many patients do not survive for a year once it has spread.

For patients with cancers that do not respond to immunotherapy drugs, the use of fecal transplants to modify the gut microbiome may help some of these patients respond to the immunotherapy drugs.

Melanoma cells that pass through the lymphatic system before entering the bloodstream are more resistant to cell death and spread more readily than cells that enter the bloodstream directly. The finding could lead to new treatment approaches.

After rising steadily for decades, the number of people in the United States who die each year from the skin cancer melanoma has dramatically dropped in recent years, results from a new study show. Learn what has contributed to the dramatic decline.

Melanoma cells that metastasize to other parts of the body produce high levels of a protein called MCT1, a new study in mice has found. Blocking MCT1 with an investigational drug, AZD3965, led to fewer and smaller metastatic tumors.

Researchers have developed a device that uses lasers and sound waves to scan circulating blood for melanoma cells. In a small study, the device accurately detected and reduced the amount of cancer cells in participants’ blood.

FDA has approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to treat people with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and deadly form of skin cancer. The approval covers use of the drug to treat locally advanced or metastatic forms of the disease.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the immunotherapy drug cemiplimab (Libtayo) for an advanced form of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a common type of skin cancer. It is the first agent to be approved specifically for advanced SCC.

Results from a clinical trial show that the combination of nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) halted the growth of or shrank metastatic brain tumors in more than half of participants with melanoma that had spread to the brain.

In a new study, NCI-led researchers developed a gene expression predictor that can indicate whether melanoma in a specific patient is likely to respond to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy.

A new study has linked age with how well patients with melanoma responded to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Experiments in mice suggested that the response pattern may be due to an age-related shift in the kinds of immune cells in tumors.

FDA recently approved the targeted-drug combination to treat patients with advanced melanoma and a subset of patients with a rare and aggressive form of thyroid cancer whose tumors have a specific mutation in the BRAF gene.

A new study suggests that patients with a rare form of melanoma, called desmoplastic melanoma, may be particularly likely to benefit from treatments known as immune checkpoint inhibitors. An NCI-sponsored clinical trial is already testing one such drug in patients with this cancer.

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Skin cancer articles within Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology

Research Highlight | 01 February 2024

Personalized neoantigen mRNA vaccine mitigates melanoma recurrence

• David Killock

Review Article | 26 January 2024

BRAF — a tumour-agnostic drug target with lineage-specific dependencies

Various BRAF alterations are found and function as oncogenic drivers across diverse cancer types. BRAF inhibitor-based therapy has improved outcomes for patients with cancers harbouring BRAF V600 mutations, although resistance develops in most, and the current inhibitors are not effective against other types of BRAF alterations. In this Review, the authors describe the mechanisms underlying oncogenic BRAF signalling, as well as pan-cancer and lineage-specific mechanisms of intrinsic, adaptive and acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. They also discuss novel RAF inhibitors and drug combinations designed to overcome these resistance mechanisms and/or expand the applicability of molecularly targeted therapy to a broader range of BRAF -mutant cancers.

• Aphrothiti J. Hanrahan
• , Ziyu Chen
•  &  David B. Solit

Review Article | 08 January 2024

Tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy for patients with advanced-stage melanoma

Despite dramatic progress over the past decade, only around 50% of patients with advanced-stage melanoma derive durable benefit from immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and/or BRAF and MEK (BRAF/MEK) inhibitors. Over the past few years, adoptive cell therapy with tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has demonstrated encouraging efficacy including in patients with disease progression on ICIs or BRAF/MEK inhibitors. In this Review, the authors summarize the role of TIL therapies in the management of these patients and describe future research strategies that might improve safety or efficacy.

• Sebastian Klobuch
• , Tom T. P. Seijkens
•  &  John B. A. G. Haanen

Research Highlight | 28 July 2023

Adjuvant nivolumab shows promise in MCC

Review Article | 05 May 2023

Personalizing neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint inhibition in patients with melanoma

Neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint inhibition is a promising emerging treatment strategy that potentially enables patients with a good response to initial therapy to avoid further treatment and the associated toxicity risks, while also identifying those who might require treatment escalation. In this Review, the authors describe treatment personalization strategies based on the initial response to one or more neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint inhibitors and consider the potential to expand this approach beyond patients with melanoma.

• Minke W. Lucas
• , Judith M. Versluis
•  &  Christian U. Blank

Research Highlight | 10 March 2023

Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab improves outcomes

• Peter Sidaway

Review Article | 11 January 2023

Therapy with oncolytic viruses: progress and challenges

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) provide a novel cancer treatment strategy, with a mechanism of action and toxicity profiles that are distinctly different to those of more traditional therapies. Thus far, four OVs have entered clinical use globally, yet only talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) has entered widespread clinical use. In this Review, the authors describe the clinical and regulatory experience with T-VEC thus far, and how this can guide the development of novel OVs. Discussions of a range of novel OVs with the potential for clinical implementation in the near future are also provided.

• Sophia Z. Shalhout
• , David M. Miller
•  &  Howard L. Kaufman

Review Article | 04 January 2023

Advances in the clinical management of uveal melanoma

Although almost all patients with uveal melanoma have localized disease at diagnosis, and despite effective treatment of the primary tumour, metastatic recurrence is common and holds a dismal prognosis. Unlike its cutaneous counterpart, therapeutic advances for uveal melanoma have not been forthcoming, although the recent approval of the first systemic therapy for this disease has ushered in a new era of hope. This Review summarizes the biology of uveal melanoma and the management of primary disease, including molecular risk classification, adjuvant therapy and follow-up strategies. The discussion is then focused on the established and emerging regional and systemic treatments for metastatic uveal melanoma.

• Richard D. Carvajal
• , Joseph J. Sacco
•  &  Sophie Piperno-Neumann

Research Highlight | 23 December 2022

Efficacy of TILs confirmed

Research Highlight | 09 November 2022

DREAMseq of therapy for BRAF -mutant melanoma

News & Views | 30 August 2022

Personalizing the approach to neoadjuvant therapy: a promising path to improving outcomes of resectable melanoma

Clinical trials of neoadjuvant therapy for melanoma have expanded rapidly over the past several years. Preliminary data demonstrate the prognostic value of pathological response, which might have clinical implications for refining the roles of surgery and adjuvant therapy. These clinical questions are under active investigation across many ongoing clinical trials.

• Giorgos C. Karakousis
•  &  Tara C. Mitchell

Research Highlight | 23 May 2022

Tiragolumab active in PD-L1 + NSCLC

Viewpoint | 25 April 2022

Optimal systemic therapy for high-risk resectable melanoma

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors and BRAF-targeted therapy have revolutionized the treatment of advanced-stage, unresectable melanoma and have been successfully transitioned into the resectable disease setting as (neo)adjuvant treatments. The expanding range of treatment options available for resectable high-risk melanoma raises questions over selection of the optimal therapeutic strategy and agents for each individual. Furthermore, the use of perioperative therapy has potentially important implications for the management of patients who have disease recurrence. In this Viewpoint, we asked four expert investigators who have been involved in the key studies of perioperative systemic therapies for their perspectives on the optimal management of patients with high-risk melanoma.

• Alexander M. M. Eggermont
• , Omid Hamid
•  &  Jason J. Luke

News & Views | 21 April 2022

Gut microbes as biomarkers of ICI response — sharpening the focus

Two recent large-cohort studies reinforce the potential predictive capability of gut microbiota for immune-checkpoint inhibitor response and toxicities in patients with melanoma. However, additional investigations are required to understand the mechanistic underpinnings of this complex multifaceted relationship, and how it can be exploited for personalized cancer care.

• Neal Bhutiani
•  &  Jennifer A. Wargo

Research Highlight | 19 April 2022

Pembrolizumab reduces recurrence risk in stage II melanoma

Review Article | 23 March 2022

The emerging role of photoacoustic imaging in clinical oncology

Photoacoustic imaging is a novel imaging technique that provides scalably high levels of spatial resolution at rapid acquisition speed, without the need for radiation or exogenous contrast agents. In this Review, the authors describe the emerging role of this technology in the screening, diagnosis and management of patients with cancer, and provide an overview of the future implementation of this technology.

•  &  Lihong V. Wang

Review Article | 26 January 2022

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors: long-term implications of toxicity

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have dramatically improved the outcomes of patients with advanced-stage solid tumours, including the potential for long-term remission in a subset. However, long-term follow-up data reveal a risk of chronic toxicities from these agents, which can have important quality-of-life implications. In this Review, the authors describe the current level of evidence of chronic toxicities of ICIs and their implications for patients

• Douglas B. Johnson
• , Caroline A. Nebhan
•  &  Justin M. Balko

Research Highlight | 14 January 2022

LAG3 inhibition improves outcomes

Research Highlight | 16 November 2021

Early ICI uptake on PET predicts response

Research Highlight | 08 October 2021

Tebentafusp for uveal melanoma

Research Highlight | 22 June 2021

From the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting

Research Highlight | 25 May 2021

Cemiplimab is a new option in BCC

• Diana Romero

News & Views | 19 March 2021

First clinical proof-of-concept that FMT can overcome resistance to ICIs

An unfavourable gut bacterial composition has been shown to reduce the likelihood of clinical benefit from immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The results of two first-in-human studies of faecal microbiota transplantation in patients with melanoma refractory to anti-PD-1 antibodies validate preclinical evidence that this approach can improve the gut microbiota and overcome resistance to ICIs; however, many questions remain.

• Arielle Elkrief
•  &  Bertrand Routy

Research Highlight | 24 February 2021

Pathological correlates and predictive biomarkers for neoadjuvant ICIs in melanoma

News & Views | 25 September 2020

Cancer vaccine induces potent T cell responses — but is it enough?

Tumour-associated antigens are an attractive therapeutic target in immuno-oncology. Here, the exploratory analyses of T cell responses and preliminary clinical outcomes of the Lipo-MERIT trial of a melanoma vaccine are discussed in the context of prior efforts to harness the immunogenicity of such antigens for antitumour immunity.

• Anjali Rohatgi
•  &  John M. Kirkwood

Research Highlight | 29 May 2020

ICI for resected stage IV melanoma

News & Views | 23 January 2020

Biology confirmed but biomarkers elusive in melanoma immunotherapy

Liu et al. report data from the largest sequencing analysis of tumour material from patients with metastatic melanoma receiving immune-checkpoint inhibitors. These data confirm the correlations between baseline immune infiltrate and treatment response, but also demonstrate inconsistent associations of tumour mutational burden, specific gene mutations and previously described gene expression patterns with clinical outcomes.

• Jason J. Luke
•  &  Paolo A. Ascierto

Research Highlight | 11 October 2019

Combinations provide sustained benefit

Research Highlight | 27 September 2019

Paradoxical roles of mutational load as a determinant of anticancer immunity

Research Highlight | 25 June 2019

BRAF+MEKi and ICI triplets show promise in melanoma

Comment | 20 May 2019

No other interest can take precedence — a patient’s perspective on oncology drug development

My husband’s diagnosis with melanoma and our struggle to access effective therapy challenged what I had learnt about medical research. I have since founded a patient network, becoming a vocal advocate for patient-centric drug development. Herein, I discuss some of the lessons I have learnt.

• Bettina Ryll

Review Article | 15 May 2019

Adverse effects of immune-checkpoint inhibitors: epidemiology, management and surveillance

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have dramatically improved the survival of patients with certain forms of cancer; however, these agents also have adverse effects that are often quite different to those of more traditional cancer therapies. In this Review, the authors describe the epidemiology, treatment and management of the various immune-related adverse events that can occur in patients receiving ICIs.

• Filipe Martins
• , Latifyan Sofiya
•  &  Michel Obeid

Review Article | 09 April 2019

Cell-state dynamics and therapeutic resistance in melanoma from the perspective of MITF and IFNγ pathways

The authors of this Review propose a new model in which dynamic fluctuations of protein expression at the single-cell level and longitudinal reshaping of the cellular state at the cell-population level explain the process of therapeutic resistance development in patients with melanoma.

• , David E. Fisher
•  &  Keith T. Flaherty

Research Highlight | 05 March 2019

Early responses indicate remission

Research Highlight | 08 November 2018

New window of opportunity with ICIs in melanoma

In Brief | 06 November 2018

Interferon enhances immune-checkpoint inhibition

Research Highlight | 01 November 2018

Long-term benefits in COMBI-AD

Research Highlight | 23 October 2018

BCC identity switch breaks restraints of Hedgehog pathway inhibition

Consensus Statement 04 October 2018 | Open Access

The biology and treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma: current understanding and research priorities

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive form of nonmelanoma skin cancer. The availability of immune checkpoint inhibition has improved the outcomes of a subset of patients with MCC, although many unmet needs continue to exist. In this Consensus Statement, the authors summarize developments in our understanding of MCC while also providing consensus recommendations for future research.

• Paul W. Harms
• , Kelly L. Harms
•  &  Isaac Brownell

Research Highlight | 07 September 2018

What’s new under the Sun for ICIs?

Research Highlight | 31 August 2018

Signatures IMPRES and might turn the TIDE in predicting responses

Research Highlight | 07 August 2018

MHC expression predicts response

Research Highlight | 09 July 2018

Sequencing cells of the immune TME

Research Highlight | 19 June 2018

Cemiplimab effective in cutaneous SCC

News & Views | 30 May 2018

The new era of adjuvant therapies for melanoma

New treatment options for patients with resected stage III melanoma have been established with the publication of the results of four pivotal randomized clinical trials, resulting in three drug approvals, with a forth expected, all within only 4 years. Herein, we put these advances into context.

• , Caroline Robert
•  &  Antoni Ribas

In Brief | 18 April 2018

Combination effective against brain metastases

Research Highlight | 12 April 2018

Encorafenib — a new agent for advanced-stage disease

Research Highlight | 13 March 2018

Time for adjuvant vemurafenib?

Research Highlight | 06 February 2018

Local chemotherapy synergizes with CTLA-4 inhibition

Neo/adjuvant braf/meki improves outcomes.

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Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program

The rising rate of melanoma brings new urgency to research. Through innovation, dedication and collaboration, reseachers are forging discoveries in melanoma biology, diagnostics and treatments.

The Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program brings together extensive research resources, clinical expertise and scientific ingenuity across the spectrum of melanoma, from basic biology and prevention to diagnostics and advanced therapeutics.

Backed by a rich tradition of innovation, the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program at Mayo Clinic brings together a diverse group of highly skilled scientists, clinicians, allied health professionals and patient advocates who share a common goal of developing innovative approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, with an emphasis on melanoma.

Our program builds on the long-standing traditions of the Mayo Clinic Model of Care, incorporating scientific discovery and clinical translation into a seamless effort aimed at improving the lives of patients with melanoma.

Research activities within the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program are primarily organized in the context of the interdisciplinary skin cancer teams of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center , with active members in most clinical and scientific departments across Mayo Clinic.

This effort has resulted in the development of one of the largest clinical practices of advanced melanoma in the nation, with an ever-expanding network of collaborating physicians and scientists across the United States and beyond.

Unraveling the biological complexities of melanoma is only achievable through an openly collaborative effort by dedicated experts whose complementary skills bring new insights into the natural history of this disease and advance therapeutic opportunities that may lead to meaningful clinical benefit for patients with melanoma.

The leadership of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program includes:

• Co-directors: Svetomir N. Markovic, M.D., Ph.D. , and Mark R. Pittelkow, M.D.
• Associate director, Florida: Roxana S. Dronca, M.D.

Contact us about our research on melanoma and other skin cancers or about opportunities to collaborate on research.

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Scientists discover how deadly skin cancer evades the human immune system

by Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore

An international study led by Dr. Li Qi-Jing from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) has revealed a mechanism by which melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, evades the immune system.

Melanoma is notoriously difficult to treat in its advanced stages. Despite some treatments that have improved outcomes, a category of melanomas remains "cold," meaning they are unresponsive to current therapies.

The findings, recently published in the Nature Immunology , demonstrate that human melanomas utilize nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein crucial for nerve development, to shield themselves from the body's immune responses. This sheds light on how these resistant melanomas camouflage themselves from immune detection.

Deciphering melanoma's evasion tactics

The research team, employing advanced genetic engineering techniques, found that NGF and its receptor TrkA create a "cold" tumor environment by altering the behavior of both tumor cells and immune cells. In melanoma cells, NGF and TrkA diminish the production of signals that typically attract immune cells to the tumor site. Furthermore, they also inhibit the activation of immune cells tasked with destroying cancer cells.

This critical discovery not only enhances the understanding of tumor immune evasion but also opens the door to new therapeutic strategies . "The prevalence of NGF-TrkA signaling in human melanomas provides a predictive marker of treatment response and overall patient outcome," explained Dr. Li, Distinguished Principal Scientist at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) and Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN).

The study was conducted in collaboration with a global network of researchers and institutions, including Duke University School of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, as well as biotechnology companies TCRCure Biopharma and Hervor Therapeutics.

Unlocking new avenues for melanoma treatment

The potential for improving cancer treatments through this research is significant. The study highlights the efficacy of TrkA inhibitors, such as the FDA-approved larotrectinib, which block the activity of the TrkA receptor. These inhibitors counter the immune-evasive actions of NGF and TrkA, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapies.

Currently, TrkA inhibitors like larotrectinib are only approved for a small percentage of melanoma patients with specific TrkA mutations. However, the new findings suggest that these inhibitors could have a much broader application. By repurposing TrkA inhibitors as immune sensitizers, which make cancer cells more vulnerable to the body's immune response, they could potentially benefit a wider range of melanoma patients, including those without TrkA mutations.

"We are excited about the possibilities this opens up for a broader range of patients resistant to immunotherapy," said Dr. Li.

"Preliminary analysis of melanoma samples from 104 patients at Moffitt Cancer Center showed 75% of patients express high levels of NGF, suggesting this strategy could benefit the majority of those suffering from this aggressive cancer."

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Basic Information About Skin Cancer

Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. When cancer starts in the skin, it is called skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Some people are at higher risk of skin cancer than others, but anyone can get it. The most preventable cause of skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, either from the sun or from artificial sources like tanning beds.

Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are the two most common types of skin cancer. They begin in the basal and squamous layers of the skin, respectively. Melanoma, the third most common type of skin cancer, begins in the melanocytes.

People with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop skin cancer. Risk factors vary for different types of skin cancer.

A change in your skin is the most common sign of skin cancer. This could be a new growth, a sore that doesn’t heal, or a change in a mole. Not all skin cancers look the same.

Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. To lower your risk of getting skin cancer, you can protect your skin from UV rays from the sun and from artificial sources like tanning beds and sunlamps.

Report any unusual moles or changes in your skin to your doctor. Also talk to your doctor if you are at increased risk of skin cancer.

While enjoying the benefits of being outdoors, people can decrease skin cancer risk by using sun protection. Protect yourself by staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing, and applying and re-applying a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

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Final Research Plan

Skin cancer: screening, march 25, 2021.

Recommendations made by the USPSTF are independent of the U.S. government. They should not be construed as an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

*Previously referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer; includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Note: For all Key Questions and Contextual Questions, “skin cancer” refers to melanoma and keratinocyte carcinomas (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma).  

• Does the effectiveness of screening vary by subgroups (e.g., age, sex, skin type, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or ultraviolet [UV] exposure)?
• Do rates of earlier skin cancer detection vary by subgroups (e.g., age, sex, skin type, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or UV exposure)?
• Do the harms of screening vary by subgroups (e.g., age, sex, skin type, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or UV exposure)?
• Does this association vary by subgroups (e.g., age, sex, skin type, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or UV exposure)?

Contextual questions will not be systematically reviewed and are not shown in the Analytic Framework.

• What validated risk assessment tools are available for assessing skin cancer risk in primary care?
• What is the potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment associated with skin cancer screening?
• What is the test performance of routine skin cancer screening in a primary care or dermatology setting?
• What are the serious harms of treatment of skin cancer?

The Research Approach identifies the study characteristics and criteria that the Evidence-based Practice Center will use to search for publications and to determine whether identified studies should be included or excluded from the Evidence Review. Criteria are overarching as well as specific to each of the Key Questions (KQs).

Proposed inclusion and exclusion criteria are generally consistent with the 2016 review. However, outcomes for KQ 2 now are focused on stage or lesion thickness at detection of skin cancer or precancerous lesion, rather than on the diagnostic accuracy of screening by primary care clinicians compared to screening by dermatologists.

* Covered in 2018 evidence review on behavioral counseling for skin cancer prevention. 1

The draft Research Plan was posted on the USPSTF website for public comment from January 7, 2021, to February 3, 2021. In response to public comment, the USPSTF clarified the wording of KQs 2 and 4 to more clearly delineate precancerous lesions from early-stage skin cancer, clarified that the exclusion of “lesion-directed diagnostic skin examination (e.g., in response to patient concern)” applies to KQ 1 only, added race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status as additional examples of subpopulations that will be examined for each KQ, and added KQ 4a to assess whether the association varies by subgroups. The USPSTF made no other substantive changes that altered the scope of the review.

1. Henrikson NB, Morrison CC, Blasi PR, et al. Behavioral counseling for skin cancer prevention: evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA 2018;319(11):1143-1157.

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Skin cancer

Skin cancer includes basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancers and other rare types. These skin cancers are known as non melanoma skin cancer.

What is skin cancer?

There are 2 main types of skin cancer: Non melanoma skin cancer and melanoma skin cancer. This section is about non melanoma skin cancer. 

Melanoma is a different type of skin cancer that develops from skin cells called melanocytes.

• Find out about melanoma skin cancer

Non melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancer and other rare types.

Skin cancer symptoms

Symptoms of skin cancer can include: a sore that doesn't heal, an area of skin that looks unusual, red, itchy, bleeds or scabs for more than 4 weeks.  

Photos of skin cancer

See what different types of skin cancers might look like.

Getting diagnosed with skin cancer

See your GP if you are worried about or have symptoms of skin cancer. They will examine you and arrange for a biopsy if needed. 

Survival for skin cancer

The cure rates for non melanoma skin cancers are very high.

Treatment for skin cancer

Your treatment depends on where your skin cancer is, how big it is and your general health. 

Types of skin cancer

The 2 main types of non melanoma skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Stages and grades of skin cancer

The stage of cancer tells you its size and whether it has spread. The grade tells you how much the cancer cells look like normal cells.

Research and clinical trials for skin cancer

Researchers are looking at the causes, diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. 

Living with skin cancer

Get support to cope during and after skin cancer treatment, including how to protect your skin in the sun.

Risks and causes of skin cancer

Most skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun. There are some other factors that can increase your risk.

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Skin cancer

Introduction

News & events, working under the sun causes 1 in 3 deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer, say who and ilo, multi-ethnic study uncovers unique origins of melanoma types and actionable molecular targets, melanoma awareness month 2022, infographics, global burden of cutaneous melanoma in 2020 and projections to 2040.

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