[Monitoring of naevus density--an approximate marker of previous UV exposure--in children at school enrollment as a method to detect shifts in melanoma risk in the population].

Objective: Naevus density in children depends both on constitutional factors (see below) and on previous (solar) UV exposure, which is a well-known risk factor for malignant melanoma. Secular trends of childhood UV exposure - e. g., due to intervention programmes - can be monitored by repeated, standardised cross-sectional studies assessing naevus density in children.

Methods: The 'CMONDE-Study (childhood monitoring of naevus density)' appears as a suitable instrument, introduced into the process of school enrollment for children of the years 1999 and 2000 in Göttingen.

Results: Analyses are based on 3883 children. Median age was 6.25 years, the proportion of girls 47 %. Median naevus density was 5.8/m(2), with an increase of density from 'Fitzpatrick skin type' IV to II, but marked decrease in type I. Similarly, naevus density increased with increasing lightness of hair colour, but was very low in red-haired individuals. While the number of freckles was also strongly associated with naevus density, the association between iris colour and skin darkness, respectively, was weak.

Conclusion: To meet the objective of continual monitoring, further comparative cross-sectional studies are needed.