ABSTRACT
Incidence and mortality rates for melanoma are rising faster than for nearly all
other cancers (1). Occurring in nearly 60,000 Americans each year (2), invasive
melanoma is a potentially fatal malignancy for which cure depends critically on
early diagnosis (3). Typically, screening and early diagnosis are greatly facili-
tated by the tumor’s visibility from its onset, its highly characteristic clinical fea-
tures, and the existence of a minimally invasive, definitive diagnostic test (skin
biopsy) (3). Visual examination by a qualified healthcare provider should
improve early detection (3,4).
