[Prevention and early detection of cancer of the skin].

The article demonstrates the importance of prevention and early detection of skin cancer as a consequence of the increasing morbidity and mortality of these tumours. Epidemiology, clinical appearance, diagnosis and therapy of the three most important and also most frequent malignant tumours of the skin, i.e. malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, are summarised. Subsequently the resulting means for primary and secondary prevention of these tumours are discussed. Finally the possibilities of the public health service for the prevention and early detection of skin cancer in Germany are shown with emphasis on the Bavarian prevention campaign "Sonne(n) mit Verstand" ("Sun with Sense").