Special features

Skin cancer — surgical and medical management

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

Each year, an estimated 60,000 new cases of skin cancer are reported in England and Wales.1 This article summarises the recommendations for the management of the most common types of skin cancer

This article as a PDF (60K)

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

AJ PHOTO/HOP AMERICAN/SPL

Liquid nitrogen

Liquid nitrogen being poured from a metal spoon into a pot, for use in cryotherapy. This technique is widely used in skin cancer treatment.

SUMMARY

Skin cancer is a significant worldwide health issue. Increasing rates of precancerous and cancerous lesions are being reported — not just in tropical or “sunny” countries, but also in temperate countries such as the UK.

The Australian state of Queensland has the world’s highest incidence of all types of skin cancer. Consequently, the country’s medical services have pioneered a number of good practice initiatives that have influenced the practice standards in other countries.

This article will summarise the management of three of the most common forms of skin cancer.