Members of the public are invited to undergo free skin cancer screenings on Saturday, May 6, at a UCSF community event that is part of a national effort to set a new Guinness world record.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion, 1701 Divisadero Street, 3rd Floor in San Francisco. No appointment is necessary.

Sponsored by the UCSF Department of Dermatology and the American Academy of Dermatology, the event is part of a nationwide goal to screen one million Americans for skin cancer in a single day and set the new record.

May is designated as Melanoma Month by the American Cancer Society. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Up to one half of fair-skinned Americans will develop some form of skin cancer, and one of every 65 Americans will develop melanoma. Nearly 90 percent of skin cancers are preventable, and through early detection, most are highly curable. In addition to receiving a free skin cancer screening, participants also will be educated about sun protection and self skin examinations.

For more information about the event, visit www.aad.org or call (415) 353-7800.

UCSF is a leading university that consistently defines health care worldwide by conducting advanced biomedical research, educating graduate students in the life sciences, and providing complex patient care.