Why get your skin checked?
Skin Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia each year. Early detection and intervention is key in the management of this potentially fatal condition.Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the skin. The 3 main types are:
- Basal cell carcinoma ( BCC) – about 2 out of 3 skin cancers
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma ( SCC) – about 1 in 3 skin cancers
- Melanoma – about 1 in 100 skin cancers
Skin cancer facts
- Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. It develops in the skin’s pigment cells, and can spread via blood and lymphatics to distant organs.
- Australia has the highest rates of melanoma in the world.
- It is the third most common cancer in Australia.
- One Australian dies from melanoma every 6 hours.
- If caught early, 90% of melanomas can be cured by surgery.
Having a skin check regularly could make all the difference to your health.
Find out more about skin cancers here:
About skin cancer | Cancer Council AustraliaMelanoma Facts | Melanoma Institute Australia
Medical treatments
Non – Melanoma Skin Cancer ( NMSC):
Medical management of NMSC largely involves the use of immunotherapy creams or chemotherapy creams.
Immunotherapy stimulates the body’s immune systems to attack rogue cancerous cells, whist chemotherapy interrupts the cell cycle of cancer cells, causing cessation of cell proliferation. Learn more about these therapies here:
Topical Treatments for Skin Cancer | Cancer Council NSW
Melanoma:
Ground breaking research conducted at Melanoma Institute Australia has seen the evolution of medical therapies that have improved the 5 year overall survival rate for advanced melanoma from greater than 55 % to less than 10%. This evolution offers hope to many patients receiving a new diagnosis of melanoma.
Surgical interventions:
Many skin cancers can be surgically managed in a primary care setting by your GP. Procedures are performed under local anaesthetic, with all after - care diligently provided by our skin cancer team, here at the clinic.
PDT therapy:
Photodynamic therapy is a tool used in our clinic for the treatment of photo - aged skin. It is particularly useful in the management of superficial squamous cell carcinomas and superficial basal cell carcinomas. A cream is used to photosensitize sun damaged skin, which is then exposed to light which activates the cream to destroy damaged cells. The treatment offers short healing times and great cosmetic outcomes.