UC San Diego

Skin cancers, among the most common cancers worldwide, have rapidly increased over the last fifty years, contributing to the overall global burden of disease. In the Republic of South Africa, skin cancer rates have skyrocketed, but little to no interventions have been put in place to promote the detection of this relatively neglected disease category. Currently, there is no global consensus on how to institute the screening of skin cancers, which is further complicated by the lack of awareness on diagnosing skin cancer among darker skinned populations. Differences in skin pigmentation affect how patients inflicted with malignancies, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and melanoma are diagnosed. The resources for skin cancer surveillance on a global level rely on three main mechanisms: the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development, the Skin Cancer Foundation, and AIM at Melanoma. While these initiatives work to educate the public on the importance of skin cancer prevention, these organizations lack the necessary tools to expand healthcare resources in skin cancer surveillance. This thesis examines how skin cancer has been rendered as invisible in South Africa at three different levels: the impact of skin cancer on the body, within national public health infrastructures, and global policies put in place for the surveillance and monitoring for this disease. Broadening options for prevention and treatment for skin cancer among more diverse populations than those currently reflected in dermatology textbooks needs to be implemented for further education and screening purposes.