USPSTF: Skin Cancer Counseling Should Start at 6 Months

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently released a draft statement on the use of behavioral counseling for the primary prevention of skin cancer. This statement is an updated version of their 2012 recommendations and lowers the age for initiating counseling from 10 years to 6 months.
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Among the recommendations:

• Fair-skinned children and young adults aged 6 months to 24 years and parents of young children should receive counseling about minimizing exposure to ultraviolet radiation to reduce their or their child’s risk of skin cancer. (Grade B)
• For patients over 24 years of age, clinicians may choose whether to offer counseling about minimizing exposure to ultraviolent radiation depending on the patient’s risk for developing skin cancer. (Grade C)

In addition, due to insufficient evidence, the USPSTF declined to make a recommendation regarding skin self-examination.

This draft is available for public comment until 8 pm Eastern time on November 6, 2017.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

US Preventive Services Task Force. Draft recommendation statement skin cancer prevention: behavioral counseling. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/draft-recommendation-statement/skin-cancer-counseling2. Updated October 2017. Accessed October 11, 2017.