Pigmented lesions, cutaneous melanoma, and future challenges for primary care.

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma is increasing amongst Caucasian populations worldwide. There are calls for melanoma to be regarded as a growing public health problem, with public and professional education to tackle it. Such programmes will increase public awareness of malignant melanoma and of pigmented lesions generally. In the UK, general practitioners face challenges in terms of primary prevention and education, diagnosis, primary treatment, and aftercare of patients with melanoma. Organizational changes are required to meet the increasing challenge posed to primary care by melanoma and should be based on the most rigorous evidence.