Few U.S. adults get skin cancer screening

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The percentage of adults who have ever had a thorough skin exam to look for signs of skin cancer is low -- with some of the lowest rates seen among those whose jobs keep them in the sun all day, a U.S. study shows. Using data from two government health surveys of approximately 25,000 U.S. adults, researchers found that only 15 percent had ever had a full-body skin examination. While such exams are not universally recommended for skin cancer screening, some medical organizations do support them. The American Cancer Society, for example, suggests that all adults age 20 or older have a periodic skin exam. People with outdoor jobs may have a relatively higher risk of skin cancer because of their constant sun exposure. Yet in the current study, people in these occupations were among the least likely to... [read full story]