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Cancers
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Skin Cancer Prevention: Strategies, Challenges and Future Directions
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Skin Cancer Prevention: Strategies, Challenges and Future Directions

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 1942

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Véronique del Marmol

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Guest Editor
Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
Interests: skin cancer prevention; early diagnosis; treatment; epidemiology
Prof. Dr. Mariano Suppa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Erasme—Hôpitaux Universitaires de Bruxelles (HUB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
Interests: skin cancer prevention; early diagnosis; treatment; epidemiology
Prof. Dr. Ana-Maria Forsea

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Guest Editor
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: skin cancer prevention; early diagnosis; treatment; epidemiology
Prof. Dr. Alexander Stratigos

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Guest Editor
1st Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Andreas Syggros” Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, 106 79 Athens, Greece
Interests: skin cancer prevention; early diagnosis; treatment; epidemiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Skin cancer remains the most common malignancy worldwide, with incidence rates continuing to rise despite decades of prevention campaigns. Both primary prevention, aimed at reducing ultraviolet exposure and other risk factors, and secondary prevention, focused on early detection and screening, are critical to mitigating this burden. However, important challenges persist, such as disparities in awareness and access to prevention, evolving risk factors, the need for culturally adapted messages, and gaps in the implementation of evidence-based strategies.

This Special Issue of Cancers welcomes the submission of original research articles, comprehensive reviews as well as communications,  addressing any aspect of skin cancer prevention. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, epidemiology and burden of disease, behavioral and structural interventions, photoprotection, screening and early detection strategies, prevention in special populations, and innovative tools such as artificial intelligence and digital health. We aim to collate high-quality contributions that advance our understanding of skin cancer prevention and help translate knowledge into effective public health action.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and to collectively shaping a future where skin cancer prevention is more effective, equitable, and evidence-driven.

Prof. Dr. Véronique del Marmol
Prof. Dr. Mariano Suppa
Prof. Dr. Ana-Maria Forsea
Prof. Dr. Alexander Stratigos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • skin cancer prevention
  • photoprotection
  • early detection
  • screening
  • epidemiology
  • public health
  • behavioral interventions
  • sun exposure
  • artificial intelligence
  • risk factors

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1229 KB  
Article
Ten Years of Euromelanoma in Hungary: Nationwide Trends and Risk Factors for Skin Cancer in Central–Eastern Europe
by Benjamin Tamás Papp, Krisztina Toplenszky, Henriette Ócsai, Ildikó Csányi, Lajos Kemény, Rolland Gyulai, Judit Oláh and Eszter Baltas
Cancers 2025, 17(23), 3749; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17233749 - 24 Nov 2025
Viewed by 285
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Large-scale, country-specific data on skin cancer predictors are scarce in Hungary. The Euromelanoma campaign offers a decade-long opportunity to investigate constitutional, behavioral, and motivational risk factors in a Central European setting through a national cross-sectional analysis. Methods: Between 2009 and 2018, Hungarian [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Large-scale, country-specific data on skin cancer predictors are scarce in Hungary. The Euromelanoma campaign offers a decade-long opportunity to investigate constitutional, behavioral, and motivational risk factors in a Central European setting through a national cross-sectional analysis. Methods: Between 2009 and 2018, Hungarian participants underwent dermatological screening. Diagnoses of clinically suspicious skin cancers were based on dermoscopic assessment, as histopathological confirmation was not systematically available. Among 18,598 standardized surveys, logistic regression identified independent predictors of clinically suspicious skin cancers overall and separately for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). Results: Clinically suspicious skin cancers were detected in 3.9% of participants (1.7% melanoma, 2.3% NMSC). Strong predictors across all cancer types were atypical nevi (OR 4.75), personal history of NMSC (OR 3.42), and melanoma (OR 1.99). For melanoma, atypical nevi (OR 13.12), prior melanoma (OR 5.95), heavy sunbed use (OR 2.15), and trunk lentigines (OR 1.47) were significant. For NMSC, age (OR 1.08 per year), personal history of NMSC (OR 4.75), family history of melanoma (OR 2.41), and atypical nevi (OR 1.76) were dominant. Screening motivation influenced detection: participants attending for a changing lesion had higher odds of suspicious findings, whereas those attending for routine checks, family/friend history, or “many moles” had lower odds. Conclusions: Over a decade of Euromelanoma screening, atypical nevi, prior skin cancer history, and heavy sunbed use emerged as the strongest predictors of suspicious skin cancers. Participant motivation shaped detection patterns, supporting risk-stratified screening, targeted public education, and stricter regulation of artificial ultraviolet exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Cancer Prevention: Strategies, Challenges and Future Directions)
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12 pages, 772 KB  
Article
Cigarette Smoking and Survival of Patients with Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
by Chiara Andreon, Aurora Gaeta, Maddalena Carretti, Alice Graziani, Giulio Tosti, Chiara Doccioli, Maristella Saponara, Giuseppe Gorini, Mariano Suppa, Elisa Di Maggio, Sara Gandini and Saverio Caini
Cancers 2025, 17(22), 3670; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17223670 - 15 Nov 2025
Viewed by 359
Abstract
Background: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most frequent cancer in fair-skinned populations and represents a growing public health concern due to its impact in terms of morbidity and treatment costs. While some meta-analyses have investigated cigarette smoking as a risk factor for [...] Read more.
Background: Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most frequent cancer in fair-skinned populations and represents a growing public health concern due to its impact in terms of morbidity and treatment costs. While some meta-analyses have investigated cigarette smoking as a risk factor for NMSC, less is known about its prognostic implications in patients with NMSC. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to fill this gap by assessing the association between smoking habits and survival in patients with NMSC. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE up to 25 February 2025, to identify prospective studies of patients with histologically confirmed NMSC that evaluated the association between smoking habits and survival. Study-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random effects meta-analysis models. Results: A total of five studies published between 2015 and 2022 were included. The meta-analysis revealed that being a current or ever smoker at diagnosis was associated with a worse overall survival (summary HR 2.42, 95% CI 1.91–3.06). A similar result was observed when smoking exposure was assessed in terms of pack-years or number of cigarettes per day (summary HR 2.44, 95% CI 2.02–2.93). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that cigarette smoking is a negative prognostic factor in these patients, despite the generally excellent prognosis of NMSC. It is reasonable to assume that this unfavourable effect is largely due to the increased risk of developing other life-threatening conditions, in which smoking plays a causal role. These results underscore the clinical relevance of systematically integrating smoking cessation counselling into the routine management of patients with NMSC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Cancer Prevention: Strategies, Challenges and Future Directions)
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Review

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21 pages, 591 KB  
Review
The Impact of Multidisciplinary Research on Progress in Skin Cancer Prevention
by Alyssa Susanto, Clare Primiero, Simone M. Goldinger, H. Peter Soyer and Monika Janda
Cancers 2025, 17(21), 3473; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17213473 - 29 Oct 2025
Viewed by 973
Abstract
Background/objectives: The global incidence of skin cancer is rising, creating a need to strengthen prevention strategies. In this review, we examine the contributions of public health, dermatology, behavioural science, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and bioinformatics, which have collectively shaped [...] Read more.
Background/objectives: The global incidence of skin cancer is rising, creating a need to strengthen prevention strategies. In this review, we examine the contributions of public health, dermatology, behavioural science, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and bioinformatics, which have collectively shaped prevention in recent decades. Methods: Using a narrative scoping review approach guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework, we synthesised research across these disciplines to highlight their roles in enhancing skin cancer prevention. Results: Initial efforts focused on increasing public knowledge through sun protection campaigns and symptom recognition. Dermatologists enhanced early detection through refined techniques and clinical guidelines. Initiatives such as Euromelanoma enabled broader collaboration and population-level screening. As more disciplines joined, advances in risk stratification, digital imaging, artificial intelligence, molecular and genetic diagnostics and bioinformatics became possible. Beyond skin cancer prevention, these tools may have additional applications for systemic health issues. However, a number of challenges remain, particularly regarding data privacy concerns, cost-effectiveness, equitable access, and the validation of artificial intelligence tools in diverse populations. Conclusions: The prevention of skin cancer brings together knowledge spanning the fields of public health and dermatology to behavioural research and digital innovation. Working together, these disciplines have improved early detection and awareness. However, fragmented collaboration across regions throughout the world continue to limit their impact. Improved equity alongside stronger, more coordinated partnerships will be essential for the next phase of progress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Skin Cancer Prevention: Strategies, Challenges and Future Directions)
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