OHSU and Knight Cancer Institute recommend an annual skin cancer screening examination for individuals with the following risk factors:

• Family history of skin cancer
• Considerable history of sun exposure and sunburn
• Light-skinned men and women over the age of 65
• Patients with atypical moles
• Patients with more than 50 moles

Other individuals without these specific risk factors should discuss the utility of an annual examination with their provider and jointly determine if an exam is indicated.

If you have had a melanoma, more frequent examinations may be indicated, depending on the stage of disease and the length of time that has passed since the diagnosis was made.