Skin Cancer
About Skin Cancer
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with one in two people being diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. The three most common types of skin cancer we see are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. These account for the largest numbers of cancers diagnosed in Australia each year.
Risk factors for skin cancers include:
A personal or family history of skin cancer
A large number of moles
A compromised immune system or on immunosuppressive medication
A fair skin type and skin colour
A history of bad sunburns
Spent lots of time outdoors unprotected or work outdoors
Use of solariums
A routine skin check is usually recommended annually from the age of 18, or sooner if you have any concerns/significant risk factors.
Skin cancers can be treated in a number of ways:
Excision is usually the gold standard. This can be done traditionally, or with the assistance of Mohs micrographic surgery.
Superficial skin cancers can be treated with a cream or light treatment (photodynamic therapy), or curettage and cautery
Radiotherapy is sometimes used
Prevention of skin cancers can be performed for those at high risk and who have numerous actinic keratoses (precancerous sun spots).