A panel of medical experts said Tuesday that there’s too little evidence to determine whether routine full-body screening for skin cancer saves lives.
The federally appointed U.S. Preventive Services Task Force gave the visual screening a rating of “I” — meaning there was insufficient evidence for it to weigh the potential benefits against possible harms — for Americans of average risk. Yet its statement drew immediate pushback, with some physicians saying the outcome might encourage people to skip the awkward ritual of stripping down for an examination by their doctor for melanoma and other skin cancers.
