Melanoma Risk Screening: Phenotypic and historical risk factor assessment.
Select All That Apply
Risk Evaluation
Select the personal and phenotypic risk factors that apply to determine your stratified melanoma risk level.
Guidelines & Evidence
Verified
Last Review: 2026-07-17
When to Use
When to Use
Estimating the absolute risk of developing invasive melanoma over the next 5 years and up to age 70.
Identifying high-risk patients who require intensive dermatologic surveillance (e.g., total body skin exams every 6-12 months).
Patient education and counseling regarding sun protection and self-examination.
When NOT to Use
Patients with a personal history of melanoma.
Patients with a strong family history of melanoma (multiple first-degree relatives) or known familial atypical multiple mole melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome.
Not validated for non-White patients (the model was derived strictly from non-Hispanic White populations in the US).
How it Works
Risk Factors
Geographic location (based on UV radiation index: North, Central, South US).
Complexion, tanning ability, and history of severe sunburns.
Number of moles (nevi) on the back (often assessed by a clinician).
Size and number of large moles (≥ 5 mm).
Freckling (assessed as mild, moderate, or severe).
Age and Sex (risk models diverge for males vs. females).
Clinical Pearls
Clinical Pearls
The MRAT is highly sensitive to the number of nevi on the back and the presence of clinically atypical nevi.
This model predicts *absolute* risk, but comparing the patient's risk to the average risk for their age/sex is often more effective for counseling.
Risk calculators are purely predictive tools; they cannot rule out melanoma and do not replace a thorough physical exam.
Next Steps
Management
01
High Risk (e.g., >20% higher than average): Initiate routine total body skin examinations by a dermatologist. Consider baseline total body photography (mole mapping) if multiple atypical nevi are present.
02
Low Risk: Emphasize standard primary prevention: daily broad-spectrum SPF, UPF clothing, avoiding peak UV hours, and routine self-skin examinations.
The Evidence
Primary Reference
Identifying individuals at high risk of melanoma: a practical predictor of absolute risk.
Fears TR et al. • J Clin Oncol.. 2006;24(22):3590-3596. Derived the absolute risk model from a case-control study of non-Hispanic White patients.
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Origins & History
The Melanoma Risk Assessment Tool was developed by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California, San Francisco, utilizing data from a large case-control study to build a multivariable logistic regression model for absolute risk projection.
Last Comprehensive Review: 2026-07-17