Prevention and Early Detection

Prevention and Early Detection of Skin Cancer

Although many types of cancer have become less common, the rate of all forms of skin cancer continues to rise. Northwestern Medicine is a trailblazer in education and research that focuses on preventing and detecting skin cancer.

Increasing rates of skin cancer

Increased exposure to the sun from changing travel habits and tanning beds, as well as misconceptions about the "healthy" look associated with a tan are significant contributors to the epidemic of skin cancer.

We are performing research on how people learn and can be motivated to change their behavior, leading to out-of-the-box thinking about early detection and changing behavior to prevent skin cancer.

Project Skin Watch

Project Skin Watch is an educational research study that teaches melanoma patients and their partners to perform accurate skin checks and detect skin cancer early. When melanoma is detected in its early stages, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100 percent. Since only 16 percent of melanomas are found by physicians, direct patient education is crucial.