Special features

Skin cancer — identification and primary prevention

By John Smithson, BPharm, MPS, and Ian Heslop, AACPA, MRPharmS

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK. There are many types of skin cancer, all of which vary in their risk of metastasis and mortality. This article examines the most prevalent cancers and the strategies used to prevent them

This article as a PDF (130K)

John Smithson is a lecturer and Ian Heslop is a senior lecturer, both at the School of Pharmacy & Molecular Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

John Bavosi/SPL

Cancer cells

An illustration of cancer cells (blue) spreading through the epidermis (pink)

SUMMARY

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK and the most costly to the NHS. Its prevalence in the UK continues to rise despite public health promotions that encourage people to be “sun smart”.

However, it is also the most preventable type of cancer.

Skin cancer can be classified as non-malignant, pre-malignant and malignant. This article will focus on the three most common types of malignant skin cancer:

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)

• Melanoma

Malignant skin cancers can also be classed as melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC).